Three Ukrainian civilians were killed by Russian drones equipped with artificial intelligence that autonomously selected targets, according to reports. The incident marks what is described as an ominous escalation in the use of artificial intelligence in warfare.
Last month, Tetiana Bubynets, 19, and two other civilians were killed at a gas station in Zaporizhzhia by a drone utilizing an experimental AI system. This system reportedly operates without direct human command to choose its strike location. Experts and military officials indicated that the drone, resembling a model airplane, was programmed to fly toward the gas station, but its AI then identified and targeted what were likely propane tanks, based on its recognition training.
"This is a risk for the whole world," said Col. Serhiy Minaiev, commander of Ukrainian air defenses in Zaporizhzhia. "In a few years, we will be living in a ‘Terminator’ movie. It’s no joke. Machines are making decisions to strike."
Debris recovered from the gas station and other sites in Zaporizhzhia revealed that the drones were equipped with Nvidia minicomputers that determined detonation points. Nvidia confirmed that the module found was a Jetson Orin minicomputer, a system that has been previously identified in other Russian weapons. Nvidia describes this system as a consumer-grade product accessible to students, developers, and startups for various applications. While Nvidia does not sell the computer directly in Russia, it is available through third-party resellers.
Kateryna Bondar, a senior fellow at the Wadhwani AI Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, stated that the July 6 gas station attack is the first documented case of self-targeting AI Russian drones causing civilian casualties. She added that the presence of the Nvidia module provides strong evidence of Russia's experimentation with autonomous AI on the battlefield.