Why is Trump pushing faster use of AI in the military, and what are the safeguards?

Former US President Donald Trump issued a memo urging the military and national security agencies to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence while ensuring compliance with US laws and civil liberties. The directive emphasizes that AI use must not suppress free speech, introduce ideological bias, or enable unlawful surveillance. Trump also called for an updated policy on autonomous weapons to align with rapid AI advancements, stressing that human judgment must remain central in decisions involving force. The memo directs the Pentagon to integrate AI systems in a controlled manner, respecting military command structures. Existing policies require human oversight in lethal operations, though AI can enhance target identification and logistics. Military officials, including Adm Frank Bradley, have warned that AI must be deployed carefully to prevent unintended consequences. In early January, the US military reportedly deployed Anthropic’s AI model, Claude, during an operation targeting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, marking the first known use of an Anthropic AI tool in a classified mission. The system was accessed via a partnership between Anthropic and Palantir Technologies, a defense contractor with classified network capabilities. While specifics remain undisclosed, Claude may have aided intelligence processing, communications analysis, or operational planning. The US is not alone in leveraging AI militarily; Israel’s forces have used autonomous drones and AI-driven targeting in Gaza, while the Pentagon has previously employed AI for strikes in Iraq and Syria. Critics warn of risks, including targeting errors from unchecked AI systems. The Pentagon has also partnered with Elon Musk’s xAI, alongside custom versions of Google’s Gemini and OpenAI tools, to advance AI research for defense applications.