A.I. could replace some pilots flying U.S. warplanes in the future

FIGHTER AGAINST A ONE PILOTED BY A.I. MORE FROM COURTNEY KUBE. >> Reporter: A RARE LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE IN COMBAT. IT'S CALLED VISTA, AN UNMANNED FIGHTER JET PILOTED BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FLYING HEAD-TO-HEAD IN A DOGFIGHT WITH A MANNED F-16 EVEN OUTPERFORMING THE HUMAN PILOT. DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY THE U.S. IS THE ONLY MILITARY IN THE WORLD WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY. SUCCESSFULLY FLYING A JET WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME CAMERAS HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO SEE IT. >> UP TILL NOW THERE HAS NOT BEEN A PATHWAY FOR MACHINE LEARNING AGENTS TO CONTROL THE, YOU KNOW, FLIGHT CRITICAL SYSTEMS OF AN AIRCRAFT. >> Reporter: ON THURSDAY THE AIR FORCE SECRETARY MADE AN UNANNOUNCED TRIP TO EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE SUITING UP AND GOING FOR A RIDE IN A MOCK DOG FIGHT FLYING NEARLY THE SPEED OF SOUND SEPARATED BY JUST 1,000 FEET FROM THE MANNED FIGHTER JET. HE SAYS THE TECHNOLOGY STILL NEEDS WORK. >> WE SEE BUT MAKING PROGRESS. >> Reporter: SOME TEST PILOTS AREN'T SURE. >> THIS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, THIS ROW BOAT, THEY'RE SO NEW AND WE DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND HOW THEY WORK. >> SO YOU DON'T TRUST THE AIRCRAFT TO BE FLOWN BY A.I. AT THIS POINT? >> NO, NOT REALLY. >> Reporter: LIKE DRONES THEY COULD FLY AHEAD OF MANNED AIRCRAFT DURING COMBAT CONDUCTING STRIKES TOO DANGEROUS FOR HUMAN PILOTS, BUT UNLIKE DRONES, THE COMPUTER WILL BE IN CHARGE, NOT AN OPERATOR THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY. AND EVEN THOUGH HUMANS WILL STILL BE INVOLVED IN MAKING KEY DECISIONS, THIS RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS. >> IS THAT A POSSIBILITY REALLY, THIS KIND OF TECHNOLOGY GOING ROGUE? >> I THINK IT'S TOO EARLY TO SAY IF IT IS OR ISN'T. >> DO YOU EVER SEE A POINT OF FULLY AUTONOMOUS WEAPONS SO U.S. AIR FORCE AIRCRAFT THAT ARE FULLY AUTONOMOUS WEAPONS? >> WE'RE NOT GOING TO UNLEASH KILLER ROBOTS ON THE BATTLEFIELD TO KILL ANYTHING THEY WANT. THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE WE COMPLY WITH THE LAWS OF WAR. >> Reporter: A.I. COULD BE IN COCKPITS IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. COMPUTERS FLYING MISSIONS ONCE CONSIDERED TOO COMPLICATED FOR ANYTHING BUT THE HUMAN MIND, SOON CHANGING THE FACE OF COMBAT

Channel: NBC News

Views: 34,731

Keywords: Health, International News, Lester Holt, Making A Difference, NBC Nightly News, National News, News, Nightly News, U.S. News, breaking news, evening news, politics, world news

Id: _vzz1ToClj4

Length: 2min 18sec (138 seconds)

Published: Sat May 04 2024