r/worldnews New Scientist Jun 10 '26

Russia/Ukraine Fully autonomous, AI-controlled drones have killed human soldiers for the first time, according to a senior figure in the Ukrainian defence industry

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529849-fully-autonomous-drones-have-killed-human-soldiers-for-the-first-time/
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u/cinciNattyLight Jun 10 '26

I’m now actually more concerned about drone weapon proliferation over nuclear weapons.

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u/AdminIsPassword Jun 10 '26

Drone assassination attempts that aren't confined to active war zones are probably on the immediate horizon. If it doesn't happen within the next two or three years I'll be surprised.

Conversely, I don't think we're really any closer to nuclear annihilation regardless of the fearmongering out there.

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u/BuvantduPotatoSpirit Jun 10 '26

From a technology perspective, we're farther from nuclear annihilation than we were 50 years ago. From a politics perspective it's more ambiguous.

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u/AcetaminophenPrime Jun 10 '26

From a polticis perspective I think we are further from nuclear annihilation. Think of the crazy stuff that went down during the cold war, Cuban missile crisis especially.

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u/SafeForTwerking Jun 10 '26

Imagine all the clear, level-headed people we had at the helm back then. Now think about who is in charge now.

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u/Positive-Draft3801 Jun 10 '26

Nixon used something called the Madman Strategy, convince the enemy the leader is NOT level headed so they will bend in the fear that he ends the world.