Russia tests AI drones in Ukraine that select targets autonomously, killing three civilians

Russia has begun testing drones in Ukraine that use artificial intelligence to autonomously select their final targets, eliminating the need for human operators. This advanced technology was reportedly responsible for the deaths of three civilians in Zaporizhzhia in early July, marking the first documented instance of civilian casualties caused by a Russian drone equipped with such a system, according to The New York Times.

The incident occurred on July 6 when a small Russian drone targeted a gas station in the city. While programmed to head towards the station, the AI was intended to identify and select the specific target upon arrival. Specialists suggest the drone likely aimed for propane tanks, objects it was trained to recognize and attack.

This development signifies a new phase in the use of AI in combat. Previously, AI was used in the "last mile" of attacks, where a human operator designated the target, and the AI guided the drone for final approach. In these new autonomous systems, the human element is removed from the final target selection process.

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the artificial intelligence had to select the target itself.

Ukrainian investigators discovered Nvidia Jetson Orin mini-computers within the drones. These commercial devices, costing a few hundred dollars, are capable of running AI systems and processing images from drone cameras to identify objects. Nvidia confirmed the components were its products, noting they are sold to students and developers for various applications and are not officially sold in Russia, though they can be acquired through resellers.

Ukrainian defense officials claim Russia has been testing these AI-guided drones, including the Molniya fixed-wing model, since May. They also report that Russia has experimented with automatic target recognition and selection systems on V2U drones in previous months, using civilian targets like gas station equipment and recruitment centers during these tests.

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the components found were Jetson Orin.