Thread

Pentagon says overreliance on AI contributed to missile strike on Iran school

974 points · 553 comments · devonnull

legitster · 1790105097 · focus · HN ↗
> It found the U.S. “failed in its obligation to do everything feasible to verify” that the school was a military objective and that the failure “went beyond mere negligence.” The report said the United States “directed the strikes at the building of the school while being aware of a substantial risk of striking a civilian object and acting recklessly as regards the possibility that this would happen.”
Reading the details, "AI" doesn't really seem like the culprit -it's a scapegoat.
The intelligence that it was no longer a military target never entered the target database, the team that was responsible for vetting the target list was gutted, and said team was never even consulted.
The White House wanted 1000 targets and pulled from their database without any due diligence. Whether it was an AI call or an SQL query - this was from pure human maliciousness and incompetence.
1. xlayn · 1790107269 · focus · HN ↗
  Now, ask yourself if you want AI taking decisions around your life... it will pull numbers... someone will have a "goal" of 1000 "hits" and there you go, 2-3 months in jail working to check what went wrong...
  But don't worry, the other P AI system will ensure that the first one doesn't do mistakes...
  1. 8note · 1790114124 · focus · HN ↗
    what makes ai special here? a person following an SOP that involves polling an incomplete dataset will have the same 2-3 months in jail
    iAMkenough · 1790118007 · focus · HN ↗
    Judicially, you can hold a person accountable for "accidentally" killing 100+ children easier than you can a technology system. The technology system will always be used as the scapegoat for the government's atrocities.
    I'm not sure why the "people make mistakes too" crowd can't seem to grasp this concept.
    bradleyjg · 1790122057 · focus · HN ↗
    Do you have three examples from 20 years in Afghanistan of analysts being held judicially accountable for target selection errors?
    iAMkenough · 1790122120 · focus · HN ↗
    Seems like a weird goalpost.
    Doesn't invalidate my point. I didn't say it was easy to hold a person accountable, just easier than a techonology system, whose owners point the finger back at government.
    I think we both want to see justice for those 100+ innocent children murdered (as well as those innocent lives in Afghanistan and Iraq) by the U.S. Military's incompentence.
    There were never "weapons of mass destruction," although Congress was mislead to believe there was.
    In the Minab attack, Congress wasn't even given the option to authorize.
    bradleyjg · 1790122316 · focus · HN ↗
    You’re comparing the current system not to the status quo ante but to a utopian fantasy that only ever existed in your imagination.
    That’s a weird goalpost.
    iAMkenough · 1790124540 · focus · HN ↗
    Sorry, I was taught good Americans don't murder people unjustly. I guess that is a utopian fantasy to think good Americans were serving our country.
    So much for seeking justice for those who can't advocate for themselves. America kills the innocent is accepted fact, I guess. The ultimate pro-life society.
    pessimizer · 1790132424 · focus · HN ↗
    Do you believe every TV ad you see, too? If you do, do you think you should stand in judgement of people who don't?
    Thinking everyone who doubts is a cynic is your problem, and you're continuing to execute on it. When the next liar rolls in and says they fixed everything, you'll be the first to run in bashing people saying "no, I don't think he did."
    Do you not read? Do you not know anything about what America has done?
    Your lecturing is not virtuous.
    iAMkenough · 1790132962 · focus · HN ↗
    Disprove this: America kills the innocent is accepted fact, I guess. The ultimate pro-life society.

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