By Whitney Webb
In the next 9 years, the US Army will have more combat robots than humans, according to John Bassett, a former UK intelligence officer. Basset, who worked for 20 years at the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), told attendees at a counter-terrorism meeting in London that the US is attempting to “stay ahead of the curve” by employing thousands of robot soldiers over the next few years.
Most of the robot prototypes have been developed or funded by the controversial research arm of the Pentagon Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, commonly known as DARPA. DARPA has also researched the creation of so-called “super soldiers,” humans that are cybernetically enhanced physically and mentally. These “improvements” include brain implants, which DARPA hopes could allow the “super soldiers” to communicate “by thought alone.” However, some defense scientists have warned against such research, saying it could lead to “remote guidance or control of a human being.” General Robert Cone, head of the US Army’s training and doctrine command, has voiced his support for the “robotic revolution” in the US armed forces, as it would lower costs and lead to a higher rate of success in US military operations.
During the conference, Bassett pointed to the numerous advances in autonomous warfare that have taken place this year as evidence that the automation of the military is quickly approaching. Just this past March, DARPA launched an autonomous drone ship designed for various missions, such as hunting down enemy submarines. Boeing, a major US defense contractor, launched an unmanned submarine this April with the capacity for exploratory missions as well as warfare. Other companies that are unrelated to the US military-industrial complex are also investing in the autonomous ships. Rolls-Royce announced in June their plans to create “ghost ships,” which would carry cargo and would function specifically in trade. DARPA is also funding other non-military robotics projects, such as the development of tiny, flying robots to replace the endangered bee population.
Bassett also argued that artificial intelligence and robotics, in general, would soon begin to mesh together, due to the recent advancements in both fields. This possibility has been very exciting for transhumanists. Transhumanism, the ultimate aim of many DARPA projects, seeks to “augment” natural beings, particularly humans, with machines, though many transhumanists fail to define limits for cybernetic enhancement. Zoltan Istvan, prominent transhumanist and a US presidential candidate, has argued that employing robot help in the military would be beneficial. He believes robot soldiers will play a huge part in US military operations over the next ten years and argues that, as a result, “there won’t be any death of US soldiers in war zones.” Istvan does say there will “still probably be [human] special forces, but even they are going to have to be replaced at some point.”
With many people around the world unemployed or in danger of losing their job to automation, it seems that national governments and the elite are, on the one hand, publicly saying that they will great more jobs for humans, while privately funding and supporting replacing humans with machines. The dangers of doing so cannot be overstated as the merging of AI and robotics opens a new world of possibilities that cannot be easily undone.
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Ever get the feeling that you’ve lived too long, or in the completely wrong era?
Good people have to take power and STOP madness !
These robots will be used against good people as well as against everybody who has different opinion from satanic ruling class
I LOVE the satanic ruling class. LOL !
I LOVE how they play with powers that they don’t fully comprehend and have a short term mindset unfit for the long term problems it always creates.
Go ahead, Pentagon, make those robots. Make my day !
If you do not want to become a part of Artificial Intelligence, throw away your ‘SMART’ phone(s). It was the launching of Singularity Transhumanist Agenda.
“Smart” phones are just another tool that we can use for our convenience. Why should we not use technology as we want it?
The fact that our tools are being used against us and our technologies are being hijacked for the agendas of a small band of psycho-freaks is the more prescient issue.
Robots could be a fantastic technology if it is exclusively used as a slave tool for human advantage. Unfortunately, by our own lethargic apathy, we will allow the most dysfunctional, adolescent freaks to take control of this technology and use it for their own infantile agenda of enslaving the human populations.
Exactly. For our convenience. Artificial robotic beings are being created for their (our?) convenience. Artificial Beings are easier to control and maintenance is cheap.
The transformation of human into robotic is being achieved through the convenience of ‘Smart’ phones.
It might be a good idea when you need to find information or to contact someone, do it the old fashioned way. It won’t just save your brain, it will preserve your Soul.
Truth is though, as a robot you will become immortal. A machine does not die.
There is no such thing as “immortality”. Maybe a long life but no “immortality”.
The “justice system” is also a tool that we can use to advance human society but now it is used to steal, corrupt and fill up corporate prisons.
The transport system is a tool but the fact that people die using it and that it is used by “the authorities” as opportunistic revenue generation should not be a reason for completely scrapping it.
Same with “smart” technology. We, the population, were supposed to make sure that it remained safe and useful and that we don’t have psychopath politician who will be using this against us.
The problem is never the technology. The problem is always human lethargic apathy not continually working against human greed and psychopathy.
Well said. My reference to a machine being immortal is to give you an idea of where the human race is headed, as evidenced by their addiction and insistence on using “smart” phones.
The problem is not humanity, it is that which calls itself human who has lost its humanity. And then names everything to promote that inhumanity as being “smart.”
Should one of those repulsive DARPA robot bees ignore my No Trespassing sign and invade my flower garden, I will robotically form into The Last Samurai.
I know how to give sentience to those robots. The Pentagon is making me very happy right now, to have given the green light to the development of robot soldiers. I LOVE their robot soldier projet !!
Okay, Pentagon, I am following your lead.
You build those robots and I will be not far behind you with my sentience technology.
Now that you are going into this direction, I am going into this direction as well, full steam ahead.
You are seeding the technological ecosystem necessary for my own technology to spread and thrive.