Meet the Gods of AI Warfare

The article explores the history of Project Maven, the Pentagon's AI warfare initiative that evolved from a controversial computer vision project into the Maven Smart System now used in US operations against Iran. It centers on the tension between Marine Colonel Drew Cukor, Maven's founding leader who championed AI in military targeting, and Vice Admiral Frank Whitworth, who questioned the program's accountability, cost, and adherence to targeting protocols. Despite internal skepticism and public protests—including from over 3,000 Google employees—the program continued its forward march.