On the Media

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The US military used AI tools for real-time targeting in its strikes on Iran. On this week’s On the Media, what recent conflicts can tell us about AI-powered weapons and the dangerous future of warfare. Plus, lessons on democratic resilience from around the world.

[01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone interviews  Siva Vaidhyanathan about how the U.S. military is using artificial intelligence in its strikes on Iran, and what can be gleaned from recent conflicts about the state of AI-powered warfare. Plus, what does accountability for war mean when AI is involved? Brooke also hears from Alan Rozenshtein, Senior Editor at Lawfare, about the Trump administration’s pressure campaign on AI company Anthropic. 

[33:45] Brooke sits down with Zack Beauchamp, senior correspondent at Vox, to talk about why he got fed up reporting on “democratic backsliding,” and decided to instead investigate “democratic resilience”— and what lessons exist for Americans around the world. 

 Further reading / watching:

  • Who’s Deciding Where the Bombs Drop in Iran? Maybe Not Even Humans.by Siva Vaidyanathan
  • Congress—Not the Pentagon or Anthropic—Should Set Military AI Rules,” by Alan Z. Rozenshtein
  • What the Defense Production Act Can and Can’t Do to Anthropic,” by Alan Z. Rozenshtein
  • The Reactionary Spirit: How America's Most Insidious Political Tradition Swept the World, by Zack Beauchamp
  • On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm). Follow our show on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [email protected].


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