US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announces a new research project led by Elon Musk and Palmer Luckey. It's about autonomous weapons and military AI.
AI-generated summary
The Pentagon is arguing with AI companies like Anthropic over the use of artificial intelligence in autonomous weapons.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk is supposed to help shape American warfare of the future - and this also involves autonomous weapons. US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced a research project that will be led by Musk and drone entrepreneur Palmer Luckey, among others. The Pentagon chief expects results within 120 days.
The prospect of independently operating weapon systems with artificial intelligence recently came to public attention due to a dispute between the Pentagon and the AI company Anthropic. Anthropic refused to allow the War Department to use its technology in autonomous weapons and mass surveillance of Americans.
The Pentagon, on the other hand, insists on the right to any legal use of AI. Hegseth had Anthropic declared a supply chain risk because of the dispute.
Musk also has AI developed at his space company SpaceX. However, the software called Grok is so far behind Anthropic and the ChatGPT developer OpenAI in terms of capabilities.
At the same time, Musk is currently ramping up production of humanoid robots at the car manufacturer Tesla he leads. He keeps proclaiming that the robots called Optimus will be the greatest product of all time.
According to a report by the website “The Information,” Tesla recently built several hundred robots per week. By the end of the year, the aim is to produce more than 1,000 robots per week. At the same time, there are currently problems with the construction of the complex mechanical hands, it said, citing informed people. AI-powered robot soldiers have been a feared vision for the future of warfare for years.
Hegseth said the purpose of the project co-led by Musk was to "look to the future with a creative eye and identify areas we need to conquer and the skills we need to master," Hegseth said.
Hegseth also addressed the topic of autonomous warfare, i.e. the use of weapon systems and artificial intelligence that can be active and carry out attacks without direct human intervention. “We must act proactively to ensure technological and military superiority on the battlefield for decades to come,” he continued.
The minister also announced the creation of a new four-star command to expand autonomous and robotic capabilities in the US military.
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Results of the research project will be submitted within 120 days
Very likely · Within months

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