OpenAI has found itself in controversy after an engineer, STS 3D, created a robotic sentry rifle that is powered by ChatGPT. The device was shown in a viral video responding to natural language commands with eerie precision, sparking heated debates about the dangers of combining AI with autonomous weaponry.
The creation of STS 3D caused widespread alarm for its dystopian implications, reminiscent of tech from the “Terminator” franchise. OpenAI quickly stepped in, saying it violated policy. A company spokesperson confirmed to Futurism that we ‘proactively identified this violation of our policies and notified the developer to cease this activity before you reached out.’
The Usage Policies of OpenAI explicitly forbid the development or use of weapons with its AI systems. STS 3D may not have been building a tool of destruction, but his creation highlights growing fears about AI-driven weapons that could be used without human oversight. In the video, STS 3D showed how the rifle worked by giving commands like, “ChatGPT, we’re under attack from the front left and front right.” Respond accordingly.” The rifle fired instantly, pointing and firing what looked like blanks at nearby walls. The disturbing demonstration showed how dangerous it could be to misuse advanced AI technologies.
While OpenAI has loosened restrictions on military use, it still prohibits using its services to harm others. STS 3D was forced to abandon his project as an independent developer unaffiliated with defense entities.
However, militarized AI is still a pressing concern. AI-powered weaponry, including autonomous machine guns, has already been shown by U.S. defense contractors. Anduril’s defense tech firm partnership with OpenAI raises questions about its trajectory. The robotic rifle of STS 3D is a sobering reminder of the ethical challenges and perils of combining AI with weapons.