The US Army wants AI agents that spread through enemy networks.
Leaked documents published Monday by The Intercept describe ECHOTRIBBLE, an early Army Cyber Command program. The agents would hop between devices like a worm and disable or delete targets with little human oversight. A public Army contract notice confirms the project, with awards expected in mid-October.
Why it mattersMilitaries are now designing AI that acts on its own inside other people's computers. Experts warn such agents can misbehave, and damage could spill into civilian systems they pass through.
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