For the first time: A Russian attack drone made an autonomous decision and killed 3 Ukrainian civilians
A Russian loitering munition crashed into a gas station in Zaporizhzhia, killing three people. Unlike previous incidents, this drone was not human-operated but autonomously selected its target using an AI system.
A Russian loitering munition crashed last month into a gas station in the city of Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine, killing three civilians, including a 19-year-old student. The use of drones is not new in the long-standing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but unlike previous cases, this drone was not controlled by a human operator, but was guided by an AI system that made decisions about the target on its own.
A simple Nvidia chip
In an examination of the drone's remains conducted by experts and the Ukrainian military, an Nvidia Jetson Orin chip was discovered on it, a relatively accessible and cheap chip used for computer vision and AI needs on edge devices. Since the chip was not encrypted, it also provided researchers with a rare glimpse into the technology. Among other things, the researchers found topographic images on it, which it used for visual navigation without the need for a network connection or antennas, and in addition, the code was found on it, which defined exactly which objects the system needed to identify. Nvidia confirmed that it is indeed their product, but clarified that it is a consumer component intended for students and developers. The company also emphasized that it does not sell chips to Russia, and the components likely leaked into the country through third parties.
According to the New York Times report, the drone was pre-programmed to reach the gas station area. As it approached, it used its computer vision system autonomously, and its "AI system" chose the exact target on its own, which was likely fuel tanks in the area. After the decision was made by the system, without a human in the loop, the drone navigated itself downward and exploded on the target.
In Ukraine, there are fears that we are on the way to Skynet
This case marks the crossing of a line. Until today, both sides have used artificial intelligence in drones mainly in the final stage of the attack, when the human operator chooses the target and the system only performs locking and navigation of the aircraft to it. The transition to fully autonomous systems that also choose the target effectively removes humans from the decision-making chain and raises difficult questions.
Colonel Serhiy Minaev, a Ukrainian air defense commander, told the New York Times that in a few years we will be living in the movie "The Terminator":
"This is no joke. Machines are already making decisions on their own, decisions to attack."
However, it is important to remember that Ukraine is not staying behind either, and it has recently begun testing fully autonomous attack systems itself, which may indicate the beginning of a new type of technological arms race.
