U.S. military forges ahead on autonomous weaponry

NPR | By Jay Price

Published October 26, 2026 at 2:10 PM PDT

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced initiatives to speed the adoption of drones and AI across the military. Meanwhile, Congress is considered at least some safeguards for autonomous systems.

Jay Price

Jay Price has specialized in covering the military for nearly a decade. Before joining WUNC, he was a senior reporter for the News & Observer in...