A Russian drone chose its own target and killed three. The code that told it what to look for was readable

Live updates

1. 19d ago

   Autonomous Russian AI Drone Kills Three Civilians in Zaporizhzhia

   A fully autonomous Russian drone powered by an Nvidia minicomputer killed three civilians in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. The aircraft operated entirely via artificial intelligence to select and strike its targets without human intervention. Analysis of the drone revealed that the code used to identify targets was readable. This event has triggered international alarm over the deployment of lethal autonomous weapons and prompted U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren to call for Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to testify regarding the company's technology in Russian weaponry.

   Why it matters

   The use of AI for target selection marks a shift toward autonomous warfare where machines make lethal decisions. This development raises global concerns about the lack of human oversight in combat. The incident occurs amid ongoing Russian missile and drone campaigns across Ukraine.

   What is confirmed

   • A Russian drone guided entirely by AI killed three Ukrainians in Zaporizhzhia.
   • The drone utilized an Nvidia minicomputer for its autonomous operations.
   • The code that instructed the drone on what to look for was readable.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Russia launched a massive attack targeting nine Ukrainian cities beginning Wednesday night.

   What to watch next

   • Response from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang regarding congressional testimony
   • Further technical analysis of the drone's target-selection code
   • Official Ukrainian or international legal findings on the autonomous nature of the strike
   Sources used for this update (7)

   1. The New York Times — A Drone Killed Three Ukrainians. It Was Guided Entirely by A.I.
   2. New York Post — Killer drone guided by AI slaughters 3 Ukrainians, sparking grave fears: ‘Living in a ‘Terminator’ movie’
   3. Cleveland.com — A new Ukraine battlefield milestone is raising alarms around the world
   4. Meduza — Новости — NYT: A fully autonomous Russian AI drone run by an Nvidia minicomputer killed 3 civilians in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia
   5. Euromaidan Press — A Russian drone chose its own target and killed three. The code that told it what to look for was readable
   6. Yahoo — Elizabeth Warren Says if Jensen Huang Has Time for $1 Million Mar-a-Lago Dinner, He Can 'Find Time to Testify' and Explain Nvidia Tech in Russian Drones
   7. apnews.com — Russia bombards 9 Ukrainian cities overnight, calling the strikes ‘massive’
   confidence 90%