Melania Trump has told US military personnel to brace for a 'brave new world' of robots on the battlefield, in a speech critics have described as 'dystopian'. Speaking at Marine Corps Air Station New River in Jacksonville, North Carolina, the First Lady said artificial intelligence represented the most profound change to warfare since the creation of nuclear weapons.
'We are moving from human operators to human overseers - fast,' she told troops and their families. 'The shift from soldiers to machines is already underway. Autonomous helicopters, swarming drones, and recon aircraft are here now. Fighter-less jets and autonomous bombers are on the way.'
The speech sparked a backlash online, with some accusing her of telling soldiers they are being replaced by robots in front of their loved ones. One user commented: 'Is this speech supposed to be dystopian?' Another wrote: 'Trailer for the new Terminator spin-off.'
However, others defended the First Lady, arguing she was simply stating facts. One Daily Mail reader said: 'This isn't dystopian, it's reality. It's happening now.' Another added: 'I'd prefer to be told the truth than lied to because it feels good to hear.'
Melania, who leads the White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, stressed the need to educate the next generation to safeguard against the dangers of AI. 'To win the AI war, we must train our next generation, for it's America's students who will lead the Marine Corps in the future,' she said.
The military already uses autonomous systems such as the MQ-9 Reaper drone and the K-MAX helicopter. Future projects include the B-21 Raider bomber, designed with advanced AI capabilities for potential uncrewed operations.
