For all the changes we've seen in weapon systems, the role of humans as the key decision makers when it comes to the use of force has remained. But what happens when machines develop to the point where they are increasingly able to perceive the battlefield and make that decision for themselves. As the AI rush plays out, compute becomes cheaper and battlefield pressures play out, nations may face increasing pressure to unleash autonomous systems from their human handlers. So in this episode we discuss the potential of these systems, some of the advantages and pressures that might drive their development...and what the prospect for international regulation might be before the killer robots start to take the field in significant numbers.