The Download: how AI is used for military targeting, and the Pentagon’s war on Claude
Quick Insights
The Bottom Line
The Pentagon wants to use AI systems like ChatGPT to help choose military targets for strikes.
AI Summary
A Defense Department official revealed the US military might use generative AI systems like ChatGPT and Grok to rank targets and recommend which to strike first, with humans responsible for checking the AI's recommendations. The Pentagon's CTO separately claimed Anthropic's Claude AI would "pollute" the defense supply chain due to a "policy preference" baked into the model. Latvia's Global Wolf Motors successfully deployed military scooters to Ukrainian front lines within weeks of Russia's February 2022 invasion, signaling a new market for civilian technologies repurposed for military use.
What's Being Done
Defense officials are developing AI targeting systems with human oversight requirements.
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