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U.S. military forges ahead on autonomous weaponry

NPR | By Jay Price
Published October 26, 2026 at 4:10 PM CDT

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.

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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...