"Reckless, Suicidal Race": The Deadly Threat Posed by Artificial Intelligence

The rapid rise of artificial intelligence is just as dangerous as the invention of nuclear weapons. AI pioneers are warning that the technology must be brought under control while it's still possible. In November 2017, a short, eight-minute horror film went viral on the internet. The dystopic Slaughterbots" depicts attack drones equipped with facial recognition software infiltrating the U.S. Congress and universities and selectively killing senators and students who have spoken out against corruption. The film never makes clear who is behind the attacks. Or perhaps a cutting-edge arms manufacturer producing new AI-powered weapons, led by a young, charismatic CEO who markets autonomous killer drones as the future of warfare. The article you are reading originally appeared in German in issue 10/2026 (February 27th, 2026) of DER SPIEGEL. Slaughterbots" was made as a warning.