AI and Drone Warfare: How New Technology Is Transforming the Future of War | Amanpour and Company

What will warfare look like in the future? Raj Shah and Christopher Kirchhoff launched an elite Pentagon unit aimed at integrating cutting-edge technology into the U.S. military. Walter Isaacson asks them about their book “Unit X: How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley Are Transforming the Future of War.”

Originally aired on August 9, 2024

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Amanpour and Company features wide-ranging, in-depth conversations with global thought leaders and cultural influencers on the issues and trends impacting the world each day, from politics, business and technology to arts, science and sports. Christiane Amanpour leads the conversation on global and domestic news from London with contributions by prominent journalists Walter Isaacson, Michel Martin, Alicia Menendez and Hari Sreenivasan from the Tisch WNET Studios at Lincoln Center in New York City.

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[PreppingWithSarge]

Ok fun… but can you defense contractors stop practicing over New Jersey 😂

[megaohmaudio]

At around 11:30 one of the guests is asked if contracting out to a private company controlled by one man (SpaceX) is a good or a bad thing.
His reply is "Well, Walter, it certainly is a thing..."
Essentially, he goes on to say this is a new reality in the world.
The answer to Walter's question is -
It is a bad thing! It is a horrible thing!!!
What will the military do when privately sourced systems malfunction and/or fail?
Will they have anyone trained to complete a mission without these privately controlled tools.
When that answer becomes "no", those private companies will hold control over the military.

Neither one of the guests answer questions directly.
Why not?
I think these guys are making the book rounds but something smells funny, too.
They talk a bit like lobbyists making a persuasive case for their clients (xyz silicon valley co) so they can better acquire lucrative military contracts from our government.

[JohnAranita]

I have a very large proud PBS DVD collection. One is from the NOVA series. RISE OF THE DRONES.

[afterlifewelcomesyoutofore]

A few decades ago I had a friend in the US Army where the software he was using was far out of date, while I had the latest version. So I set him up with my version of Windows with all of the bells and whistles. Using not the US DoD computers but ones that could be brought off the self. His office improve a lot as did his people days in the office. I would almost think that some place in the Army they are still a couple of generations back in running software.
All most like a side branch of the US Army his office was.
A side branch is a office while Army does not look, smell, or feel like the Army. They operate on their own while still followering rules and then not.

[noahway]

Drinking game: Take a shot everytime guest says "Walter"

[GNARGNARHEAD]

I hope oversight is a big part of this high turnover systems acquisition to keep them from devolving to the standard we're used to

[ronaldronald]

What will waging war look like in the future? We could try not waging war? (The future weapons will be so destructive and accessible that war will end anyway(no more humans))
In other words lets get our act together!

[srlind]

This is exactly what Geoffrey Hinton, “the godfather of AI” (Nobel price winner) and many other top experts are so very afraid of:
The insane unregulated arms race we somehow gotten ourselves into and the potential misuse of AI in military applications, particularly if it falls into wrong hands.
AI-driven technologies will be used to create superior weapons and wars we never seen the likes of before unless we protest strongly. The importance of ethical guidelines and international regulations has never been more important.

[PHX]

I'll type before listening. Don't forget Roddenberry's Star Trek original episode where in future warfare the killed just step into a booth and vaporize until Kirk falls in love again!

[jlf]

Excellent coverage of a topic that is so extremely important to USA survival in a REAL, War-fighting World! Much of the dreamer sheepish public will not support the USA government adequately preparing and protecting our country, and they will wish for “no war”. This is where China will very likely soon take the lead and harness AI and drone technologies for fighting a vastly different type of war. The Chinese government simply mandates the business of military preparations and it will happen quickly. Our USA system is antiquated and extremely slow when attempting to modernize the military. The USA military will be as bad as the Russians versus little Ukraine… nearly totally ineffective … with tremendous loss of lives and billion dollar losses of fancy outdated military technology. Failure awaits us as long as our old technology acquisition processes are not immediately improved.

[kevinjenner]

Israel’s use of the AI programs “Lavender” and “Where’s Daddy” have significantly increased the civilian dead in Gaza.

[shadowchaser]

We should diversify chip manufacturing outside of Taiwan. We’ve been saying that for over 10 years. So why not ? Is it possible that Taiwan is the only place capable pf doing it ? ? ?