A senior defense official has outlined a potential future where military personnel could use AI-powered chatbots to assist in making targeting decisions on the battlefield. The official described a scenario where an officer, under time pressure, could query a chatbot for rapid analysis of intelligence data, such as satellite imagery and signals intercepts, to help identify potential targets. This concept highlights the ongoing exploration of generative AI tools within defense departments, aiming to accelerate the decision-making cycle known as the ‘OODA loop’ (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act). Proponents argue such systems could process vast amounts of data faster than humans alone, but critics and ethicists raise significant concerns about the delegation of lethal decisions to algorithms, the risk of hallucinations or errors, and the erosion of human judgment in life-or-death situations. The discussion underscores the broader ethical and practical debates surrounding the integration of advanced AI into military command and control systems. Read the full article at: https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/03/12/1134243/defense-official-military-use-ai-chatbots-targeting-decisions/