In a recent discussion with Bloomberg News, Palmer Luckey emphasized a thought-provoking point: it seems almost inevitable that future wars, influenced by the advancements in artificial intelligence, might tragically involve innocent casualties. Luckey, a prominent figure in the tech world, is adamant about the necessity of keeping human oversight when AI is integrated into military operations by the U.S.
In his own words, “There will be people who are killed by AI who should not have been killed. That is a certainty if artificial intelligence becomes a core part of the way we fight wars,” Luckey admitted. His stance is clear; maintaining human accountability is crucial, as it’s the driving force towards finding better solutions and reducing unintended fatalities and civilian casualties.
Luckey acknowledges the risks of AI, yet he also sees the potential for AI to address current problems that pose a greater danger to innocents than today’s technology might. “I don’t want AI to do these things, but a lot of times the existing technologies are much worse,” he pointed out.
With an estimated fortune of $2.3 billion, according to Forbes, Luckey’s insights into future warfare tech considerations are certainly informed. The Long Beach native made his mark by founding Oculus, a VR headset company, before leaving after it was acquired by Meta. He now leads Anduril, a company engaged in lucrative contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. His departure from Meta, as noted by the Wall Street Journal, came after a 2016 political contribution to a PAC supporting then-presidential candidate Donald Trump.
In a detailed Bloomberg interview with Emily Chang, Luckey covers various topics, including the geopolitical issues concerning China and his reasons for parting ways with Meta. Interestingly, he seems to avoid directly naming Trump during the conversation.
“I’m actually not nearly as political of a person as people think,” Luckey told Chang. “I got kicked out of Silicon Valley because I made a $9,000 political donation. The reason that people pay attention to it at the end of the day is because it’s novel for a person in tech to have supported the person who became president that year.”
Chang highlights in the interview that the person Luckey is referring to is Trump, who, according to the latest New York Times polls, remains a contentious figure, surprisingly outpacing President Joe Biden.
For those interested in tech’s role in defense, the full 30-minute interview with Luckey is available on YouTube. It offers a comprehensive look at how defense contractors view the future. Regardless of the November election outcome, it’s likely that Luckey will continue to develop cutting-edge technologies focused on warfare for many years. Listening to what industry leaders have to say is vital to understand where the substantial $850 billion in taxpayer funds are allocated annually.
