Remote forms of warfare, from drones to cyberattacks, have played an increasingly central role in this century's theatres of war. Control of the skies with unmanned aerial vehicles has been critical issue in the ongoing war in Ukraine, and last week, the U.S. Department of Defense unveiled a fresh $1 billion investment to upgrade its drone fleet.

Several major powers have taken this development a step further, and begun to develop fully autonomous, AI-powered "killer robots" to replace their soldiers on the battlefield.

"I would be surprised if we don't see autonomous machines coming out of China within two years," Francis Tusa, a leading defence analyst, told National Security News. He added that China was developing new AI-powered ships, submarines, and aircraft at a "dizzying rate."

"They are moving four or five times faster than the States," he warned. China and Russia are already reported to have collaborated on the development of AI-powered autonomous weaponry. Per Newsweek