Lethal Autonomous Weapons
Lethal Autonomous Weapons
Good Day! This is my weekly newsletter, with a dose of insights into the future. The topic of this newsletter is the exponential times we live in, hence the title of f(x) = e^x, which is the (natural) exponential function.
Recently, I launched my new concept The Digital Speaker and you can now book me as an avatar or hologram. Also, my tech trend prediction for 2021 is out, read it here!
Why We Should Ban Lethal Autonomous Weapons
My latest article:
Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly advanced, and it is poised to play a major role in every industry, including the military industry. That could lead to an AI arms race, resulting in lethal autonomous weapons. These weapons will be very destabilising for societies and individuals. Therefore, leading entrepreneurs, engineers and scientists have called upon governments and government leaders to create a future with strong international norms, regulations and laws against lethal autonomous weapons. Only then, will we be able to ensure national and global security.
Three Useful Nuggets of Information
My weekly tips from around the web to get you thinking.
1. DARPA funds new AI projects with millions.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the US has decided to fund several new AI projects with fresh money. The objective is to help AI researchers to test the value and feasibility of innovative concepts quickly. (Forbes)
2. The British military tests AI to supply troops.
Supplying frontline troops is often dangerous and expensive. Therefore, the British military is testing autonomous vehicles that can do this hard work. The UK government has given several grants to different startups to develop new solutions for the military. (Internet of Business)
3. China is developing a semi-autonomous submarine.
The AI arms race has already started, and China does not want to be outdone by others. Therefore, they are developing unmanned, semi-autonomous submarines that can perform reconnaissance, place mines, and ram “high-value” enemy targets. (VentureBeat)
Dr. Mark van Rijmenam
Dr. Mark van Rijmenam is The Digital Speaker, a world-leading futurist and global AI keynote speaker who helps leaders decide what AI, and the technologies that follow it, mean for their business. He speaks to leadership teams at their retreats and to conference audiences worldwide, and his WAVE framework gives them a way of deciding that they keep using long after he has left the room. His Intelligence Age Scorecard measures how ready an organization is across the four WAVE pillars.
He holds a PhD from the University of Technology Sydney, is a Certified Speaking Professional and Global Speaking Fellow, and ranks among the world’s top futurists on the Global Gurus list (#1 in 2025, #3 in 2026). Salesforce named him one of its 16 leading AI voices. He has written six books, most recently Now What? How to Ride the Tsunami of Change, writes the Synthetic Minds newsletter on Substack, and founded Futurwise. Talk to his digital twin on WhatsApp: +1 (830) 463-6967.
