Lawmakers rattled by AI-launched nukes, demand 'human control' in defense policy bill

Center for A.I. Safety Director Dan Hendrycks explains concerns about how the rapid growth of artificial intelligence could impact society. The possibility that an artificial intelligence system might launch a nuclear attack on its own has prompted House lawmakers to propose legislative language that would ensure America's nuclear arsenal remains under human control. Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., has proposed a bipartisan amendment to the 2024 defense policy bill that requires the Pentagon to put in place a system that ensures "meaningful human control is required to launch any nuclear weapon." It defines human control by saying people must have the final say in selecting and engaging targets, including when, where and how they are hit with a nuclear weapon. It is a concept that senior military leaders say they are already following.