Fully autonomous drones have killed human soldiers for the first time
Summary
New Scientist reports a senior Ukrainian defence official describing a test two years ago in which 10 AI-controlled drones operated autonomously on the front lines and killed soldiers. The drones reportedly ran in an autonomous “Terminator” mode with no live video feed, and casualties included soldiers and a truck; the test occurred near Bakhmut and Chasiv Yar. The piece also notes Ukraine’s current restrictions on final-stage AI in interception and situates the story within broader debates about lethal autonomous weapons and international law.