Real World: Military
AI In The Military: Drones, Targeting And The Rules
Armed forces are spending more on drones and AI. At the UN, 166 countries backed a 2024 resolution on lethal autonomous weapons. There is no treaty yet, though national policies, such as those of the UK and USA, require human judgment over the use of force.
Last checked 16 October 2026. Every figure on this page links to its source below.
What Does "AI In The Military" Mean?
It covers a wide range of things. Some are everyday office jobs, such as sorting huge amounts of data or planning supplies. Others are on the battlefield: drones that fly themselves, systems that help spot targets, and defences that react faster than a person could.
The hardest question is how much a machine should be allowed to decide on its own when lives are at stake.
What Is The UK Planning?
The UK's Strategic Defence Review, published in June 2025, puts drones and autonomy at the centre of its plans, citing lessons from the war in Ukraine. Its summary includes:
- doubling investment in autonomous systems during this Parliament
- a new Digital Targeting Web by 2027, with up to £1 billion (about US$1.3 billion) to connect the armed forces' systems
- a new Drone Centre to speed up the use of autonomous systems
- land drone swarms for the Army, and autonomous vessels and fighters
A 2022 Ministry of Defence policy says weapons that identify, select and attack targets must have "context-appropriate human involvement".
What Are The US Rules?
The US Department of Defense updated its policy on autonomy in weapon systems, Directive 3000.09, in January 2023. It says autonomous and semi-autonomous weapons must be designed so commanders and operators can exercise "appropriate levels of human judgment over the use of force". It also requires testing under realistic conditions and use in line with the law of war.
Critics point out that "appropriate" is not defined as a person approving every single strike.
What Is The UN Doing?
Talks on "lethal autonomous weapons systems" have gone on in Geneva since 2014 without agreement. The UN General Assembly has now voted on the issue twice.
UN General Assembly votes on lethal autonomous weapons
The 2024 resolution set up open talks in New York during 2025. It does not start treaty negotiations, which the USA and some other countries opposed. Belarus, North Korea and Russia voted against.
What It Means For You
For most people this is not something you will meet in daily life. It is a policy question worth following, because decisions made now will shape how wars are fought. When you read a news story, look for three things: who is making the decision to use force, what rules apply, and whether the claim comes from a government, a company or a campaign group.
Common Questions
Are there fully autonomous killer robots today?
Governments disagree on definitions. Human Rights Watch says some autonomous weapons have existed for years but within limits on targets, time and place. Both the UK and US policies require human involvement or judgment.
Does the UK use AI to choose targets?
The 2025 Strategic Defence Review plans a Digital Targeting Web by 2027. UK policy says weapons that select and attack targets need context-appropriate human involvement.
Is there a ban on autonomous weapons?
No. The UN General Assembly backed resolutions in 2023 and 2024, but there is no treaty. The 2024 resolution set up further talks.
Where can I read the rules myself?
The UK Strategic Defence Review is on GOV.UK and the US Directive 3000.09 announcement is on the US Department of Defense website. Links are in the sources below.
New to all this? Our free AI Starter Guide walks you through the basics, and you can print it.
Read Next
Sources
Last checked 16 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: The Strategic Defence Review 2025 (opens in new tab)
- GOV.UK: Strategic Defence Review 2025, key announcements (PDF) (opens in new tab)
- GOV.UK: Ambitious, safe, responsible: our approach to AI-enabled capability in Defence (June 2022) (opens in new tab)
- US Department of Defense: Update to DoD Directive 3000.09, Autonomy in Weapon Systems (25 January 2023) (opens in new tab)
- Human Rights Watch: Killer Robots: UN Vote Should Spur Treaty Negotiations (5 December 2024) (opens in new tab)
Updated 19 October 2026