Meta Opens Llama to Military, Ukraine’s Autonomous Drones, and Eric Schmidt on Drones vs. Tanks

Meta is opening up Llama to the US military after discovering that Chinese researchers have used an old Llama model to create military tools.

Ukraine uses dozens of domestically made AI-augmented systems for its drones to reach targets on the battlefield without being piloted.

But first, at the Future Investment Initiative in Saudi Arabia, Eric Schmidt, Ex-Google CEO, pointed out that the US should replace tanks with drones:

The Big Story

Meta Opens Up Llama to US Defence

On November 1, Reuters reported that top Chinese research institutions linked to the People’s Liberation Army have used Meta’s publicly available Llama model to develop an AI tool for military applications. The researchers used an earlier Llama large language model from Meta, incorporating their parameters to construct a military-focused AI tool that can gather and process intelligence and offer accurate and reliable information for decision-making.

Although Meta has embraced an open release of many of its AI models, it imposes restrictions on their use. It prohibits using “military, warfare, nuclear industries or applications, espionage.”

A few days after the report, on November 4, Meta announced that its open-source Llama models would be available to US government agencies in defence and national security and their private-sector partners. The company is taking a new approach and making Llama available to public-sector agencies.

Meta is making an exception for US agencies, contractors, and similar agencies in the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

“These kinds of responsible and ethical uses of open source AI models like Llama will not only support the prosperity and security of the United States, they will also help to establish US open-source standards in the global race for AI leadership,” said Nick Clegg, Meta’s President of Global Affairs in a memo on the company’s website.

Meta is opening Llama to government contracts with Amazon Web Services, Anduril, Booz Allen, Databricks, Deloitte, IBM, Leoidos, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Oracle, Palantir, Scale AI, and Snowflake.

Ukraine Is Using AI-Augmented Drone Systems

Ukraine uses dozens of domestically made AI-augmented systems for its drones to reach targets on the battlefield without being piloted, said a senior official to Reuters.

These systems use artificial intelligence to allow cheap drones carrying explosives to spot or fly to their original targets in areas protected by extensive signal jamming.

“There are currently several dozen solutions on the market from Ukrainian manufacturers…they are being purchased and delivered into the armed forces and other defence forces,” Ukraine’s deputy defence minister Kateryna Chernohorenko said to Reuters.

Electronic warfare systems disrupt the communication between drones and pilots, causing them to lose control and miss the target. Soldiers searching for ways to combat the increasing use of electronic warfare on the battlefield choose automated drone systems. The systems have become commonly used in trenches, where soldiers are looking to protect themselves against first-person-view drones.

In the News

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Read more at Military Aerospace.

Relief Web: Binding Rules Urgently Needed for Killer Robots

Human rights advocates are urging for international regulations on autonomous weapons, or “killer robots,” which can select and engage targets without human intervention. Experts, including AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton, warn that these systems pose severe ethical and legal risks, potentially violating international humanitarian law. Current global conflicts have already showcased AI-driven weaponry, escalating warfare digitization. The UN General Assembly will soon vote on a resolution addressing these concerns as some nations push for a treaty to establish binding rules that limit or ban the use of autonomous lethal systems.
Read more at Relief Web.

North Korea Likely to Ask for Nuclear Technology from Russia in Exchange for Troops, South Korea Says

South Korean Defence Minister Kim Yong Hyun suggests that North Korea may request nuclear and military technology from Russia in return for deploying troops to support Russia’s war in Ukraine. This alliance could provide North Korea with advancements in nuclear weapons, missile technology, and reconnaissance capabilities. While North Korean troops are not expected to shift the battlefield significantly, their involvement raises concerns about regional security dynamics and the potential for future military escalations. The U.S. and South Korea are closely monitoring developments, with plans to observe North Korean troop movements in Ukraine.
Read more at CNN.

How NATO Wants to Shape the Future of War

NATO is accelerating its focus on technological innovation to counter advancements by adversaries like Russia and China. This includes initiatives like the NATO Innovation Fund, a billion-euro investment to grow European defence startups. The fund supports autonomous systems, cybersecurity, and AI projects, tackling Europe's defence ecosystem's bureaucratic and investment challenges. By leveraging private-sector technologies, NATO hopes to maintain its competitive edge. However, experts warn that these efforts could struggle to achieve their intended impact without a robust investment environment.
Read more at Politico.

Space and Cyber Warfare as One

The U.S. military is increasingly integrating space and cyber warfare capabilities, as recent conflicts highlight the interdependence of these domains. The 2022 Russian cyberattack on Viasat demonstrated how cyber operations can disable satellite communications, impacting command and control. The U.S. Space Force emphasizes that space assets are vulnerable to cyberattacks, which can disrupt critical infrastructure like GPS. Policymakers are urged to develop unified strategies for space-cyber operations, prioritizing cybersecurity in space asset design and operations.
Read more at CSIS.

Digital Transformations, Inclusion, and Confidentiality in Peace Mediation

The Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) explores the role of digital technology in peace mediation, focusing on its impact on inclusivity and confidentiality. Digital tools facilitate wider participation in peace processes but also pose risks, such as data privacy concerns. PRIO’s policy brief highlights how Peace Facilitation Organizations manage these challenges, balancing transparency with the need for secure communication. Digital transformations offer both opportunities and ethical challenges, particularly as digital inclusion becomes more central to mediation.
Read more at Prio.