ballpoint

A fascinating, and terrifying, video narrated by Stephen Fry. Ignore the click bait title if you will, though it makes a point, The first half will no doubt be argued against by the usual suspects, but the second half is chilling, as it discusses advances in AI controlled weapons, particularly drones. It makes the point that, a human controlling a drone can make humane decisions based on what they see. For example, this still from the 7:22 mark of the video shows a Russian soldier pleading for mercy, as seen by a Ukrainian drone operator. The drone drops water for him, along with a map showing his location. (Note too, he doesn't appear to be of Slavic origin. Putin is too smart to conscript citizens from Moscow and St Petersburg). Increasingly, though - mainly due to Russian jamming, drones are being controlled by AI. The human operator flies them near the target and the AI takes over. If the signal to the human operator is blocked, then the drone will continue to its mission. For an attack on a weapons or oil facility it will be "fed" with a photo of the target, but for attacks on soldiers it is trained to attack Russian uniforms. No humane decision possible, just attack and death. From the 7:53 mark: And what happens when the Russians counter this by changing, or removing, their uniforms? How long till these drones are programmed to attack anything human? The US and China have started making AI controlled drones - ground and sea based as well as aerial, in massive numbers, with China currently having the advantage. Swarms of drones, attacking from multiple angles at once, overwhelm defenses and leave nobody alive. Clips of their testing are included in the video. I've often thought that, just as Vietnam is said to be the first "television war", so Ukraine can claim to be the first "YouTube war". Sadly, it may also be a more lethal first for all of us. The first AI war.

Is the guy saying "What a waste of money. if that wishing fountain's so good, then I want a Rolls Royce. Right now!"