By Rowland Manthorpe, technology correspondent
Forget science fiction. The age of AI in war is here.
Israel has used AI systems in Gaza to flag potential targets and help prioritise operations.
The United States military reportedly used Anthropic’s model, Claude, during its operation to abduct Nicolas Maduro from Venezuela.
And even after Anthropic got into difficulties with the US administration over exactly how AI should be used in war, the US military still apparently used Claude in its attack on Iran.
It is highly possible, experts say, that the missiles flying over Tehran today are being targeted by systems powered by AI.
“AI is changing the nature of modern warfare in the 21st century. It is difficult to overstate the impact that it has and will have,” says Craig Jones, a senior lecturer in political geography from Newcastle University.
“It is a potentially terrifying scenario.”
Terrifying or not, it seems there’s no going back.