Posthuman Blues

The Ascent of the Robotic Attack Jet

"Already, lone unmanned planes -- with humans at the remote controls -- are widely used for surveillance. But the next crop of planes will fly in coordinated groups, with more autonomy. They'll tackle jobs such as attacking enemy air defenses, identifying new targets, and releasing precision bombs. 'The long-range vision is that the president will wake up some day and decide he doesn't like the cut of someone's jib and send thither infinite numbers of myrmidons -- robotic warriors -- and that we could wage a war in which we wouldn't put at risk our precious skins' is how John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org, a leading defense policy website, puts it." (Via KurzweilAI.net.)