In its early days, the AI initiative known as Project Maven had its fair share of skeptics at the Pentagon. Today, many of them are true believers. The rise of AI warfare speaks to the biggest moral and practical question there is: Who--or what--gets to decide to take a human life? And who bears that cost? In 2018, more than 3,000 Google workers protested the company's involvement in "the business of war" after finding out the company was part of Project Maven, then a nascent Pentagon effort to use computer vision to rifle through copious video footage taken in America's overseas drone wars. They feared Project Maven's AI could one day be used for lethal targeting. In my yearslong effort to uncover the full story of Project Maven for my book,, I learned that is exactly what happened, and that the undertaking was just as controversial inside the Pentagon. Today, the tool known as Maven Smart System is being used in US operations against Iran . How the US military's top brass moved from skepticism about the use of AI in war to true believers has a lot to do with a Marine colonel named Drew Cukor. In early September 2024, during the cocktail hour at a private retreat for tech investors and defense leaders, Vice Admiral Frank "Trey" Whitworth found his way to Drew Cukor. Now Project Maven's founding leader and his skeptical successor were standing face-to-face. Three years earlier, Whitworth had been the Pentagon's top military official for intelligence, advising the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and running one of the most sensitive and potentially lethal parts of any military process: targeting.

Spring Break travelers facing TSA hell fume as it's revealed why only certain airports crippled by shutdown Chappell Roan apologises to Jude Law's daughter as she insists she did not ask security guard to approach her and says'I do not hate fans of my music or children' Democratic enclave tears down tent city in its latest'whack-a-mole' move as homeless crisis laid bare Infertile influencer Clavicular's dark fetish is far more alarming than anyone feared, claim high school enemies as they leak unrecognizable photos and humiliating secrets I was a producer on The Bachelor. I've seen what happens when the cameras stop rolling: JANA HOCKING reveals the humiliating crisis talks, sex secrets and forbidden relationships Under fire again: Embattled sheriff in Nancy Guthrie case was accused of'assaulting deputy'...as decades of complaints emerge My daughters begged me not to send them back to their mother... Inside Enya's off-grid life in a £2.5M remote castle with 12 cats and no partner or children after turning her back on fame and admitting she's'dark and difficult' to be around'He just didn't protect him': Insiders reveal REAL reason Justin Bieber and Usher's secret feud hit'boiling point' at Oscars MORE bad news for Austin's housing market as Texan city leads in plummeting prices Hawaii's worst flooding in 20 years caused over $1BILLION in damage as crews desperately search for woman swept away in deluge Princess Beatrice puts on united front with husband Edo during lunch out amid fears her'marriage is in trouble' in wake of Epstein scandal Friends reveal fears Princess Beatrice's'marriage is in trouble' in wake of Epstein scandal. I was the only one JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette trusted when they burdened me with an extraordinarily intimate secret. Iran war live: Trump threatens to'obliterate' Tehran's power plants if Strait of Hormuz does not'fully open' in next 48 hours Trump's White House ballroom architect'has totally baffled colleagues' by taking on controversial project Oscars PANIC as ratings hemorrhage: Insiders reveal'existential crisis' inside the Academy... and why Hollywood's biggest night was a'big fat dud' My husband's filthy habit is so revolting I don't even want to kiss him: DEAR JANE READ MORE: Britain's best supermarket hot cross buns revealed There's nothing quite like a toasted hot cross bun slathered in butter. Now, experts have suggested an unusual way to make them taste even better - by slicing them into thirds.

More than 160 people have been injured in Iranian strikes on southern Israel, emergency services have said. Ballistic missiles hit the towns of Arad and Dimona, which are close to a nuclear facility, on Saturday evening. Iranian state TV earlier said the strikes were in response to an attack on Iran's Natanz nuclear facility. Displaced Palestinians were told to secure their tents to prevent them being blown away as a storm swept through the enclave. UK does not'agree with Trump on every issue' - Cooper Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has hit back at President Trump's criticism of the UK response to the conflict in Iran.

Furious Trump issues threat to Iran demanding Strait of Hormuz is'FULLY OPENED' in hours or America will'obliterate their power plants'... and there's already a key target in sight Nancy Guthrie's desperate family releases emotional new statement as they plead for'renewed attention to our mom's case' 50 days after she vanished Chappell Roan accused of'leaving Jude Law's 11-year-old daughter in tears and using security guard to threaten her' I was the only one JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette trusted when they burdened me with an extraordinarily intimate secret. How Iran's ruthless enforcers use rape to crush dissent: Brutal sex attacks on victims as young as 12 used to strike fear into protesters, rights groups reveal amid fury over sickening nurse gang rape Shia LaBeouf suffers public meltdown in Rome as he's caught screaming'f*** off' at woman... after battery arrests'He just didn't protect him': Insiders reveal REAL reason Justin Bieber and Usher's secret feud hit'boiling point' at Oscars I thought I was losing my mind... then doctors told me I had'exploding head syndrome'. America is about to be torn apart by a financial tsunami - and it's not just an oil crisis to fear. Denise Richards's plastic surgeon reveals stunning before-and-after photos of her facelift'Get the f*** out of my life,' JFK Jr screamed at Carolyn Bessette... what she cruelly told friends about his manhood... the cuckolding, cocaine - and moment that sent her truly psychotic: MAUREEN CALLAHAN has the untold REAL story'Meteorite' CRASHES into woman's home as residents are left terrified by massive sonic boom YouTuber who exposed Somali'fraudsters' in bombshell investigation reveals terrifying threats from left-wing activists... as he begs for cash to help pay for security Sabine Getty's gown gets STUCK in escalator at Oscars during dramatic moment Charlie's Angels bombshell Jaclyn Smith looks nowhere near her 80 years in Beverly Hills... see her now Florida's Olivier Rioux, tallest player in college basketball history, dwarfs 6ft8 March Madness rival as defending champs roll to win RFK Jr reveals his strange daily routine... including not eating until noon and meditating with'dead people' Iran ballistic missile hits Israeli city in terrifying strike near top-secret facility that is key to country's atomic weapons program Ted Cruz proposes dramatic change to ICE funding in repsonse to'extreme and unreasonable' Democrats in effort to end bitter standoff causing airport chaos And now it turns out you've probably been doing your laundry wrong this entire time. Experts at AO.com have revealed why you should never close the washing machine door after a wash.

Furious Trump issues chilling threat to Iran demanding Strait of Hormuz is'FULLY OPENED' in hours or America will'obliterate their power plants'... and there's already a key target in sight Chappell Roan accused of'leaving Jude Law's 11-year-old daughter in tears and using security guard to threaten her' I was the only one JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette trusted when they burdened me with an extraordinarily intimate secret. How Iran's ruthless enforcers use rape to crush dissent: Brutal sex attacks on victims as young as 12 used to strike fear into protesters, rights groups reveal amid fury over sickening nurse gang rape Shia LaBeouf suffers public meltdown in Rome as he's caught screaming'f*** off' at woman... after battery arrests'He just didn't protect him': Insiders reveal REAL reason Justin Bieber and Usher's secret feud hit'boiling point' at Oscars Mom-to-be finds out cop who got her pregnant has HIV after baby mama's text... as he is charged with felony I thought I was losing my mind... then doctors told me I had'exploding head syndrome'. America is about to be torn apart by a financial tsunami - and it's not just an oil crisis to fear. Denise Richards's plastic surgeon reveals stunning before-and-after photos of her facelift'Get the f*** out of my life,' JFK Jr screamed at Carolyn Bessette... what she cruelly told friends about his manhood... the cuckolding, cocaine - and moment that sent her truly psychotic: MAUREEN CALLAHAN has the untold REAL story Florida's Olivier Rioux, tallest player in college basketball history, dwarfs 6ft8 March Madness rival as defending champs roll to win YouTuber who exposed Somali'fraudsters' in bombshell investigation reveals terrifying threats from left-wing activists... as he begs for cash to help pay for security Charlie's Angels bombshell Jaclyn Smith looks nowhere near her 80 years in Beverly Hills... see her now Fury over plan for 110 homes near Yosemite Park that will tower up to 24ft and'cause road chaos' Gisele Pelicot tells how she thought she was dying from a brain tumor... then she discovered the horrific truth of her husband's abuse Iran ballistic missile hits Israeli city in terrifying strike near top-secret facility that is key to country's atomic weapons program Couple murdered outside Walgreens near golf's Players Championship were killed by jealous ex, says sheriff As the threat of a nuclear war intensifies, the terrifying reality of what could happen after the bombs explode may cause more fear than the initial cataclysm. For decades, worst-case scenarios have projected that tens of millions could perish within minutes as nuclear warheads struck major metropolitan areas such as New York, Washington, Chicago and Los Angeles .

Trump administration'unlocks' 140MILLION barrels of precious Iranian oil with major policy change to fight back against'hoarding' China... here's what it means for your wallet Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Nicholas Brendon dead at 54 as'heartbroken' family reveal cause of death Joseph Duggar's wife Kendra is arrested for allegedly endangering welfare of a minor as he faces new charges Behind closed doors, the Duggar family's next nightmare began long before Joseph's arrest: Insiders reveal what they knew and how they plan to recover America is about to be torn apart by a financial tsunami - and it's not just an oil crisis to fear. However, it seems not every corner of Britain is quite so beautiful - as a survey has revealed the least scenic locations. Voters on the Scenic Or Not survey awarded the top spot to Basingstoke's Newbury Road. This unappealing location received the lowest possible score, with just one out of 10 for'scenicness'. And while Cornwall might be renowned for its beautiful scenery, a rather less attractive part of the county - the Electricity Station in Landulph - joins Basingstoke at the bottom of the pile.

Alabama student Jimmy Gracey was ALONE when he walked to his death in Barcelona, cops say, as autopsy reveals 20-year-old's sad cause of death Taylor Frankie Paul's neighbors share surprising reactions to video of her attacking ex... as The Bachelorette season is axed Now the Coldplay kiss-cam woman claims SHE'S the victim it's time to tell the truth about her and Ozempic Oprah: KENNEDY'My doctor couldn't believe it... I'd reversed my biological age by 20 years': How ordinary people are healing liver damage with FOOD - and the telltale signs your'silent organ' is in trouble Iran sends American spring breakers into spiral with chilling warning about luxury resorts not being'safe' Lesbian prison secrets of'hell on wheels' teen Mackenzie Shirilla who killed boyfriend and friend by crashing into wall at 100mph... as inmates reveal her mean girl antics behind bars Historic heatwave to spread'hazardous weather' across 23 states as temperatures skyrocket Inside America's wealthiest ZIP code: It's not where you think The vicious nickname Trump allies have given to Hegseth's Iran war briefings... and why the President ought to take notice: MARK HALPERIN I was the last person to see JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette alive: What was said that night is unthinkably haunting... this is the truth about their runway fight and death spiral Joe Duggar's sister Jill shares'shocked' reaction to his arrest on accusation of molesting nine-year-old The'middle-class kinks' saving marriages: Wives reveal the eight buzzy sex trends that revived their lagging libidos - including the fantasy husbands are secretly obsessed with Sharon Stone's rumored beauty secrets revealed despite swearing off cosmetic tweakments after major health scare Harrowing final moments of Alabama student before his Barcelona death: Mystery person caught on surveillance... and witness's chilling account Casino Royale star, 79, who posed for Playboy and has a Yellowstone link makes rare sighting, who is she? The home of the US Air Force's nuclear bomber fleet was repeatedly invaded by a swarm of mysterious drones that could not be stopped by the military's jamming technology. Officials at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana confirmed to the Daily Mail that the base detected'multiple unauthorized drones' entering restricted airspace between March 9 and March 15. The first incident involving a single'unmanned aerial system' triggered a shelter-in-place order and terror alert amid reports from the FBI of potential drone attacks on US soil. However, an internal military briefing document has reportedly revealed that later incidents involved swarms of 12 to 15 drones entering the base's no-fly zone .

Two robots box while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visits Unitree Robotics in Zhejiang Province, China. In the exhibition hall at Unitree Robotics in Hangzhou, Friedrich Merz smiled and applauded the martial arts display by a platoon of humanoid warriors. But when a robot boxer advanced toward him, punching the air with its red-gloved fists, the German chancellor flinched, a look of alarm crossing his face as he appeared to realize the danger posed by an autonomous fighting machine. It was also a moment that crystallized for Merz the power of China's technology, according to a person familiar with his thinking. He saw it, too, as a sign of how far behind Germany has fallen and how European Union regulation holds back their efforts to catch up, the person said, asking not to be named discussing the chancellor's private views. The trip, last month, has triggered a broader reckoning that is starting to settle in across Europe: Maybe de-risking from China is just too big a task.

As OpenClaw enthusiasm grips China, school kids and retirees alike raise'lobsters' Zhipu staff members help residents install and setup AutoClaw, a local version of the AI agent OpenClaw developed by Zhipu, at an office building in Beijing. BEIJING - Fan Xinquan, a retired electronics worker in Beijing, has recently started raising a lobster, hoping that the AI agent he has been training can help organize his specialized industry knowledge better than chatbots like DeepSeek. OpenClaw can actually help you accomplish many practical things, the 60-year-old said at a recent event hosted by AI startup Zhipu to teach people how to use and train the AI agent, which has gone viral in China, with its various local versions earning the lobster nickname. In the past month, OpenClaw, which can connect several hardware and software tools and learn from the data produced with much less human intervention than a chatbot, has captured the imaginations of many in China, from retirees looking for side income to AI firms hoping to generate new revenue streams. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.

Ros Atkins on... Trump's mixed messages on the war For every day of this war, President Trump has been sharing his perspective and his thinking - whether in press conferences, in video statements or in posts on social media. In the last week, that's continued - as strikes have been exchanged - and pressure has built on the supply of oil and gas from the region. The BBC's Analysis Editor Ros Atkins has looked at what the President's been saying. Watch: Sean Penn receives'Oscar' in Ukraine after skipping US ceremony The Academy Award winning US actor won his third Oscar on Sunday, but skipped the ceremony to visit Ukraine. Voiced by Domhnall Gleeson and directed by John Kelly, Retirement Plan is nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards.