A senior defense official has outlined a potential future where military personnel could use conversational AI chatbots to assist with complex targeting decisions. The official described a scenario where an operator could query a chatbot to rapidly analyze intelligence data, such as satellite imagery and signals intercepts, to identify potential targets and assess collateral damage risks. This would be part of a broader decision-support system, not an autonomous weapon. Proponents argue it could speed up the ‘kill chain’ and reduce human cognitive load in high-pressure situations. However, the official acknowledged significant ethical and technical challenges, including the risk of AI hallucinations generating false data and the profound moral questions of delegating any part of lethal decision-making to algorithms. The development of such systems remains theoretical and is subject to strict legal and policy reviews within the defense establishment. Read the full article at: https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/03/12/1134243/defense-official-military-use-ai-chatbots-targeting-decisions/