Could humanoid robots be marching into battle? In San Francisco, a startup called Foundation Robotics is developing a robot named Phantom for military use. But it’s currently just playing with children’s blocks in 'free play' mode.
The co-founder and CEO, Sankaet Pathak, envisions a future where these robots are frontline weaponised. He argues that this could keep human soldiers safe and reduce collateral damage, though critics question the ethics of turning to AI for lethal decisions.
While Phantom MK-1 is still a work in progress – it lacks batteries, can’t get back up if it falls, and its hands need improvement – the next generation will be more robust. Pathak aims to produce at least 40,000 units by the end of 2027, each costing less than $20,000.
Others in the field like Eric Trump’s investment and Ukraine’s interest hint at growing momentum. But as Dean Fankhauser from Robozaps notes, weaponising these robots is inevitable. The real question is: are we ready to hand over control of life-and-death decisions to machines?
