The Pentagon requested more than $54 billion for a new Defense Autonomous Warfare Group, signaling a sharp pivot toward AI-enabled and remotely operated systems across air, land and sea. The proposal—described by former CIA Director David Petraeus as the largest single commitment to autonomous warfare—would scale programs such as “Drone Dominance,” even as experts warn the military lacks doctrine, training and safeguards for deploying autonomous formations. The funding push arrives amid U.S. efforts to wall off defense tech from China and follows disputes with AI lab Anthropic over use restrictions for surveillance and lethal autonomy. Defense startups including Anduril, Skydio, Neros and Powerus could benefit, though critics argue the money should prioritize proven, lower-cost Ukrainian battlefield innovations over untested, high-end U.S. systems.
Pentagon Seeks $54 Billion to Accelerate AI-Driven and Autonomous Warfare Capabilities
- Trending
- Comments
- Latest
