KNDS revealed the Capint, a hybrid tank combining a German Leopard 2 hull with a French unmanned turret, at Eurosatory 2026. It aims to replace French Leclerc tanks and serve as a foundation for future AI-integrated combat systems, reflecting a global trend in armoured warfare.
Former UK spy chief David Omand believes AI can create moral frameworks for autonomous drones, allowing them to distinguish combatants from civilians and comply with international law. He argues this is an operational inevitability due to modern warfare's speed, advocating for human "on the loop" oversight rather than "in the loop" control.
The Pentagon has requested over $54bn for its new Defense Autonomous Warfare Group in the 2027 budget—a 24,000% increase on last year—signalling a major shift toward AI-powered warfare. Former CIA director David Petraeus called it 'the largest single commitment to autonomous warfare in history.' However, experts including former Anthropic researcher Jeffrey Ladish and ex-UK AI Security Institute official Peter Wallich warned that AI systems have 'exploitable safeguard failures' that could endanger warfighters and civilians. The Pentagon is in a dispute with Anthropic over using its models for autonomous weapons.
