The Fox News Rundown From Washington: The Debate Over Militarizing Artificial Intelligence and the Future of War
Mar 8, 2026
Tevi Troy, presidential historian and senior fellow at the Ronald Reagan Institute, gives a concise historical take on U.S.-Iran ties since World War II. The conversation covers the Pentagon’s break with Anthropic over AI safety, debates about keeping humans in the kill chain, accelerating battlefield AI and risks of autonomous drones, and how Cold War-era choices shaped today’s Iran policy.
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AI Is Speeding Up The Kill Chain
- AI is already reshaping military decision cycles and battlefield effectiveness, especially with AI-guided drones in Ukraine and Iran.
- McGinnis warns agentic AI and rapid microsecond engagements mean humans may struggle to retain real-time control.
Ensure A Human Remains Accountable For Lethal AI
- Keep a human in the loop and ensure accountability for lethal decisions involving AI.
- McGinnis stresses Defense Department policy requires human control and that moral judgment must remain with accountable humans.
Connected Drones Are Vulnerable To EW And Malware
- Drones linked to networks are vulnerable to electronic warfare, malware, and manipulation.
- McGinnis explains adversaries can reverse or hijack connected drones, making fully networked autonomy a major security risk.
