DIGITAL LIFE

'Stop hiring humans'? Silicon Valley confronts AI job panic

AI industry insiders want workers to code smarter, think harder and lean into their humanity—but still dodge the question of how many jobs artificial intelligence will destroy.

The reassurance rang out across HumanX, a four-day conference drawing some 6,500 investors, entrepreneurs and tech executives, even as a blunt advertisement at the entrance set the tone: "Stop hiring humans."

On the main stage, May Habib, chief executive of an AI platform called Writer, told the audience that Fortune 500 bosses are having a "collective panic attack" on the subject.

The anxiety is well-founded. More and more companies are directly citing AI in announcing job cuts.

High-profile examples are on the rise: Salesforce laid off 4,000 customer support workers, saying AI now handles 50% of its work.

Block chief Jack Dorsey announced plans to cut the company's headcount nearly in half, citing "intelligence tools" that have fundamentally changed how companies operate.

Not all claims have gone uncontested—some economists say firms are pointing to AI to rationalize layoffs that are really about past overhiring or cost-cutting ahead of massive infrastructure investments.

OpenAI's Sam Altman has spoken of "AI-washing," and most speakers at the San Francisco event similarly dismissed the invocation of AI as a false pretext for job cuts—even as they freely predicted disruption was just around the corner.

AI is going to "transform every single company, every single job, every single way that we do work," said Matt Garman, chief executive of cloud computing giant Amazon Web Services.

—'Pretty unsettling'—

The debate remains heated. Two years ago, Nvidia chief Jensen Huang declared that the ultimate goal was to make it so "nobody has to program" or code.

"We will look back on that as some of the worst career advice ever given," Andrew Ng, founder of training platform DeepLearning.AI, shot back on Tuesday.

In his view, coding is not an obsolete skill—AI has simply made it available to more people.

Another argument has taken hold in Silicon Valley: interpersonal skills will become more valuable than ever, with some voices going so far as to tout a humanities education as sound tech career preparation.

"As AI can do more of a job, the things that will distinguish and differentiate a given employee are going to be the human skills—critical thinking, communication, teamwork," said Greg Hart, chief executive of training platform Coursera, which has seen enrollment in its critical thinking courses triple over the past year.

Florian Douetteau, chief executive of Dataiku, a French company specializing in enterprise AI, agreed.

The real human added value, he told AFP, is the "capacity for judgment."

He described a world in which an AI agent works through the night, its human counterpart reviews the results in the morning, and then the agent resumes working autonomously during the lunch break.

But the entrepreneur nevertheless expressed unease.

"We are going to have a generation of people who will never have written anything from start to finish in their entire lives," he said. "That's pretty unsettling."

—'Mistake was not preparing'—

All of this advice risks ringing hollow for a generation already struggling to land a first job.

AI has automated entry-level tasks that once served as on-the-job training. Hiring of candidates with less than one year of experience fell 50% between 2019 and 2024 among America's major tech companies, according to a study by investment fund SignalFire.

"We should be preparing for the loss of knowledge work jobs in a number of categories," warned former US vice president Al Gore.

As the week's lone genuinely dissenting voice, Gore called for a real action plan to map threatened jobs and prepare workers for career transitions, so as not to repeat the mistakes of the globalization era.

"The mistake was not globalization. The mistake was in not preparing for the consequences of globalization," he said, drawing a parallel with the deindustrialization that followed the offshoring wave of the 2000s.

"Maybe we don't want to talk about it," he added, "because it may slow down the enthusiasm for the technology."

AI Artisan Marketing Campaign...The phrase "Stop Hiring Humans" recently went viral due to a provocative marketing campaign by the San Francisco-based AI startup Artisan.

The campaign used billboards with controversial messages to promote Ava, a "digital employee" focused on sales (BDR - Business Development Representative).

About the Artisan campaign (below):

Provocative messages: In addition to the main slogan, the billboards included phrases such as "Artisans won't complain about work-life balance" and "Humans are so 2023".

Objective: The company's CEO, Jaspar Carmichael-Jack, admitted that the intention was "rage bait" to generate buzz and traffic to the website.

Impact: The campaign generated millions of views and intense debates, but also resulted in death threats against the founders and criticism from public figures such as Senator Bernie Sanders.

Curious contradiction: Despite the slogan, Artisan itself continues to hire humans to expand its team.

The bigger context: AI and the job market...The campaign touched on a real wound in the technology market, where panic about AI replacing jobs is growing:

Companies like Salesforce and Block (Jack Dorsey's company) have already cited artificial intelligence tools as justification for staff cuts.

Statistics indicate that the hiring of junior-level technology professionals has fallen drastically in recent years as basic tasks are automated.

Experts suggest that, to remain relevant, humans should focus on skills that are difficult to automate, such as critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and moral judgment.

© 2026 AFP

TECH

AI-driven controllers imitating the human brain could strengthen the grid

As traditional power plants are replaced by intermittent sources like solar and wind, maintaining grid stability has become a complex engineering challenge. Hussain Khan's doctoral dissertation at the University of Vaasa, Finland, introduces advanced AI-based control strategies that ensure local grids remain reliable and resilient.

Power systems are undergoing a profound transformation as fossil-based generation is gradually replaced by inverter-based renewable energy. This shift introduces inherent uncertainty and low inertia, making grid operation and voltage stability significantly more complex in AC and DC microgrids.

In his dissertation in electrical engineering, Hussain Khan addresses these challenges. By utilizing Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Khan has developed controllers that can predict and compensate for grid changes in real time, outperforming traditional control methods.

"ANNs are inspired by the human brain, which processes information through interconnected neurons. This biomimetic approach allows the system to learn from diverse scenarios and adapt to the unpredictability of solar and wind power," says Khan.

Cost-effective solutions through sensor optimization...Traditional systems rely on multiple physical sensors to monitor voltage, current, and other parameters, adding to costs and increasing the number of potential failure points. Khan's AI-driven approach demonstrates that sophisticated software can compensate for fewer hardware components.

"By training the neural network effectively, the system can provide the same reliable results with only a single sensor instead of two. This leads to cost optimization and improves overall reliability, as there are fewer physical parts that could fail," Khan notes.

While AI-based control can improve efficiency and reduce hardware requirements, introducing intelligent controllers into critical infrastructure also raises new considerations.

"The main concern is that AI works like a black box: we can see the inputs and outputs, but not always fully explain what is happening inside. Even so, in our tests the controller performed very well and was validated rigorously in real time," notes Khan.

Khan's research supports the broader goal of building carbon-neutral energy systems in the coming decades. By improving stability and reducing hardware requirements, AI-based control could help electricity grids integrate larger shares of renewable energy in the future.

                 Hierarchical control structures and time scales (Publication III). Credit: Khan, Hussain (2026)

An AI-driven controller is a control system that uses artificial intelligence (machine learning, neural networks, or reinforcement learning) to optimize, adapt, and manage systems in real-time, often replacing or enhancing traditional PID controllers. These systems improve efficiency and reliability, reducing hardware dependence by predicting, rather than just reacting to, system changes

Key characteristics and benefits(below):

Adaptive learning: AI controllers learn from data, allowing systems to self-adjust to changing environments and patterns without requiring manual re-tuning.

Predictive optimization: Instead of reacting, these controllers anticipate spikes or operational changes to optimize performance and energy efficiency.

Enhanced reliability: AI can often maintain or improve system performance with fewer sensors by accurately predicting data points, reducing failure points.

Complex system management: Ideal for complex, nonlinear, or dynamic environments where traditional modeling fails

Application areas(below):

Industrial automation: Predictive maintenance and self-tuning machinery, such as that provided by AC Infinity's AI Controllers.

Renewable energy: AI maximizes efficiency in wind turbines and solar panels by adjusting to real-time, variable conditions.

Robotics: Improves stability and control for robots operating on uneven or unpredictable terrain.

Software and IT: Centralized gateways like AI Controller (shown in this demo) provide secure, compliant, and cost-effective management for AI services.

Challenges and future directions(below):

"Black Box" Problem: It can be difficult to fully explain how AI reaches certain decisions, raising validation concerns.

Data Requirement: Effective control requires accurate, high-resolution, real-time data streams.

Hybrid Approaches: Future systems are increasingly merging classical control theory with AI to balance stability with adaptability

Provided by University of Vaasa 

EPSON

SureColor V4000 UV Flatbed Printer: Epson's high-performance UV flatbed printer

The Epson SureColor V4000 is a UV flatbed printer that offers superior quality, efficiency, and versatility, ideal for various applications such as signage and product personalization. With UltraChrome inks, it guarantees vibrant and durable prints. Compared to previous models, the V4000 stands out in speed and printing capabilities on different materials. Its cost varies, but it is available in specialized stores and online, reflecting its high performance and advanced technology.

The Epson SureColor V4000 is a newly launched UV flatbed printer that promises to revolutionize the way we print. With its advanced technology, this printer offers high-quality prints on a wide range of materials.

It is ideal for graphics, signage, and even product personalization. What makes it different are its UltraChrome inks, which guarantee vibrant colors and durability.

One of the most impressive features is its ability to print on unconventional surfaces. This means you can use materials such as wood, glass, metal, and much more. This expands the creative possibilities for designers and businesses.

The printer is also designed to be efficient and easy to use. Its compact design allows it to fit into different work environments, making it perfect for small and large businesses.

Furthermore, Epson has ensured that the installation and setup process is simple. This means you can start creating your prints quickly, without complications.

Epson, a well-known printer manufacturer brand, has officially unveiled an ultra-premium UV Flatbed printer, the SureColor V4000. The printer is said to be designed for signage, photos, fine art, and promotional items such as keychains, golf balls, and pens. The new printer joins Epson’s SureColor V7000 and the SureColor V1070 in the brand’s roster. 

The SureColor V4000 uses 10-color UltraChrome UV inks, which are said to deliver vibrant output with crisp detail and clear small text. The 10-color UltraChrome UV ink set, including red and gray, provides bright, colorful, and textured prints. There’s also varnish ink that allows the user to choose between gloss and matte varnish for finishes and textures for added visual and tactile impact. 

Speaking of print area, the printer supports a large print area up to 27.5” x 38.5”. Like the Epson ET-2905/51/56 EcoTank printers, the SureColor V4000 also has refillable ink tanks. According to Epson, the space-saving design of the printer can easily fit through a 6’ doorway and operates on standard 110 V power. On top of this, the company has also integrated management tools such as Epson Edge Print Pro software and Epson Cloud Solution PORT. 

Productivity meets innovation with this powerful 10-color UV flatbed printer...The SureColor® V4000 flatbed printer brings the power of UV printing to direct-to-object production and a wide range of substrates, helping you maximize output in a compact footprint. This cutting-edge printer uses a 10-color UltraChrome® UV ink set—featuring Red and Gray Inks for an expansive color gamut, opaque White Ink and eye-catching Gloss/Matte Varnish Ink—to deliver stunningly bright, colorful and textured prints. 

Three PrecisionCore® Micro TFP® printheads, object-printable height up to 7.8" and an intuitive media setup help ensure high productivity and ease of use. The SureColor V4000 features a maximum print area of 27.5" x 38.5" on an extensive range of materials, making it the ideal choice for signage, photo and fine art, and promotional items such as keychains, golf balls and pens. 

Moreover, it comes with Braille printing capability, to produce output that is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)1, expanding the possibilities of where your business can go. Bring innovative productivity front and center with the SureColor V4000.

UltraChrome UV Ink— vibrant 10-color ink set includes Red and Gray Inks for an expanded color gamut and high color saturation

High productivity and performance— three PrecisionCore Micro TFP printheads help ensure extremely accurate prints at high production speeds

Large print area— supports media up to 27.5" x 38.5"

Media versatility— prints directly on a wide range of materials; ideal for signage, photo and fine art, and promotional goods such as golf balls and keychains

Print on tall items— automatically detects and adjusts to accommodate media up to 7.8" thick for virtually endless printing possibilities

Varnish Ink— choose between Gloss and Matte Varnish for finishes, textures and other embellishments

Braille printing capability— to produce output that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)1

White Ink— for high White opacity on clear or dark substrates

Easy to use— open print bed with all-front operation and non-contact object height sensor provides intuitive media setup

by mundophone

DIGITAL LIFE

Online viewers prefer livestreams to recordings

In an era when most TikTok videos are prerecorded, can a band with a new single create a tighter bond with fans by debuting via livestream instead? Can a business do the same when promoting a new product?

New research from the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin suggests they could.

Since the pandemic, the livestreaming industry has been booming. The global market is expected to reach $345 billion by 2030, up from $100 billion in 2024. Nearly 30% of internet users watch livestreams at least once a week on social media.

Adrian Ward, associate professor of marketing, is one of them. A few years ago, he was viewing a livestream of a town hall meeting and found himself gripped by a speaker's comments, feeling as if he were actually in the room. On reflection, he suspected it was the liveness of the event, as much as the speaker, that kept him glued to the screen.

"As we spend more of our time online and on social media, it's worth asking how we can feel as complete and connected as possible in these spaces," Ward says.

"The Liveness Lift: Viewing Live Streams Creates Connection and Enhances Engagement in Amateur Music Performances" is published in the Journal of Marketing.

Live and let stream...With Alixandra Barasch of the University of Colorado Boulder and Nofar Duani of the University of Southern California, Ward began to investigate what he calls the "mere liveness effect": the idea that simply knowing an event is streaming in real time makes a viewer feel more connected to the performer.

The researchers ran five experiments with 3,500 total participants. By manipulating various factors, they compared how, when, and why viewers reacted to watching livestreams versus prerecorded videos online.

In one experiment, participants watched live or recorded videos of their choosing on the platform Twitch. In another, they viewed a performance by the R&B cover band Sunny and the Black Pack, either live on YouTube Live or its recording the next day on YouTube.

In a third, the researchers created their own streaming platform to show participants identical videos, manipulating whether the content appeared to be live or prerecorded.

The experiments provide evidence that watching an online performance in real time boosts several aspects of the viewing experience:

-Connection. Viewers in one experiment felt 7 percentage points more connected to the performers in the live video. Another experiment showed the effect was even stronger when viewers believed no one else was watching.

-Enjoyment. In another experiment, viewers enjoyed the live video 5 percentage points more than the prerecorded one.

-Engagement. Real-time streams carried a "liveness lift." Viewers chose to continue watching longer, and they were more willing to follow and subscribe to the live streamer's channels.

A common factor underlying those effects was a heightened sense of presence, Ward says. "When we watch something live, we are psychologically transported there.

"It's not that there's actually something different about the video itself. It's that we know that it's live right now, and that breaks down barriers between our world and the world on the other side of the screen."

Lessons for liveness...One quality weakened the liveness effect: not being able to see a performer's face. When viewers saw only a musician's hands, they felt less connected, even though they were watching the same performance.

The findings have implications for marketers, platform developers, and content creators, Ward says. In an age when people increasingly meet their social needs online, going live can benefit streamers by motivating audience engagement.

As a follow-up, he's working with a graduate student to study whether the liveness effect translates into greater brand trust or sales.

"From influencers to businesses, it's about the experience of real people seeing other real people live and in the moment," Ward says. "It makes you feel like you're sharing something."

Key benefits of livestreams for the audience (below):

Greater emotional connection: Viewers report feeling about 7 percentage points more connected to creators in live streams than in recordings.

Increased engagement: Audiences tend to watch for longer and are much more likely to interact through comments and likes. On Facebook, for example, live streams generate twice the engagement compared to recorded videos.

Sense of community: Real-time interactivity, such as live chats and Q&A sessions, transforms passive viewing into a shared social experience.

Authenticity and transparency: The "uncut" format is seen as more human and trustworthy, especially by younger generations like Gen Z.

The impact on e-commerce (livestream commerce)...The live shopping format has shown significant results compared to traditional e-commerce (below):

High conversion rates: While standard e-commerce converts between 2% and 3%, live shopping achieves rates between 9% and 30%.

Urgency and exclusivity: Limited-time offers and exclusive launches during the live stream motivate impulse purchases.

Reduced uncertainty: Seeing the product in action and having questions answered immediately increases confidence in the purchase decision.

When recordings are still preferred...Despite the strength of live streams, recorded videos (VOD) maintain advantages in specific scenarios (below):

Production quality: They allow for polished edits, visual effects, and a more structured narrative.

Convenience: They can be watched at any time, without depending on the live stream schedule.

Educational content: Recorded videos are usually better for tutorials and product demonstrations that require objectivity and cutting out irrelevant parts.

Provided by University of Texas at Austin

 

TECH

Polymer electrolyte lets the ions flow for solid-state batteries

Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have uncovered a path to design superionic polymer electrolytes for solid-state batteries and other energy applications that could help ensure a future of abundant and reliable energy for the United States. The scientists demonstrated that by carefully controlling the chemical composition of a lithium salt-based polymer, they could create a material that enables superfast transport of ions in batteries and many other energy storage and conversion technologies.

"Researchers around the world are focusing on unlocking the potential of polymer electrolytes because they have a lot of advantages over the conventional liquid electrolytes," said Catalin Gainaru, an R&D staff scientist of ORNL's Chemical Sciences Division. "Achieving fast ion transport has always been a major challenge of polymer electrolytes, but our recent research demonstrates that this may no longer be the case."

Batteries are made up of two electrodes—a cathode and an anode—separated by an electrolyte material. As a battery charges or discharges, ions need to have a high mobility within the electrolyte as they move back and forth between electrodes. Traditional batteries use liquid or gel electrolytes, but the demand for safer and more efficient power storage has spurred interest in solid-state batteries in which the electrolyte is solid, yielding a battery that is faster charging, safer, more compact, and durable.

A schematic depiction of the x-variation of local morphology according to the evolution of the dielectric constant presented in the inset of Fig. 2, see text for details. Credit: Materials Today (2025)

The challenge of ion transport in solid-state batteries...Many solid-state concepts use ceramic electrolytes that transport ions so effectively that they are known as superionic ceramics. Unfortunately, these ceramics are prone to break due to brittleness. They are also difficult to roll into thin films and don't adhere well to the electrodes in a battery. The ORNL researchers demonstrated how a polymeric material can achieve a similar superionic state, in which ions can move up to 10 billion times faster than their surroundings, without the shortcomings of liquids and ceramics.

Polymers are materials formed by long molecular chains made up of small, repeating building blocks. Well-known examples include a variety of plastics, which are usually made up of repeating units containing carbon and other atoms. The ORNL polymer electrolyte contains polar segments that favor the inclusion of lithium salts and strongly enhance the mobility of ions.

The research, which was published in Materials Today, was performed as part of the DOE Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) known as the Fast and Cooperative Ion Transport in Polymer-Based Materials (FaCT) Center.

"The goal of the FaCT EFRC is to fully understand how to design novel polymers that change the paradigm of ion transport," said Tomonori Saito, an ORNL distinguished researcher in ORNL's Chemical Sciences Division. "We developed a very special polymer in which the segments self-organize to provide a high mobility path for the ions to move through."

A molecular design strategy enables superionic behavior...The key development was the careful tuning of the structure of the polymer by the addition of precise amounts of molecular groups known as zwitterions. These special functional groups carry both positive and negative charges, which increases local polarity but results in a zero charge for the entire macromolecule. By using careful chemical processes, researchers were able to tailor the number of zwitterionic groups attached to the polymer backbone, allowing the ions to assemble into pockets.

In these pockets, ions interact much like conversationalists at a dinner party. At first, small pockets of diffuse conversations form, isolated throughout the material. Add more pockets, though, and the discussions eventually lose individuality and evolve into a pleasant and cohesive hum. That's when the ions start to flow like good conversation. But add too many zwitterions, and the cohesive hum devolves into a cacophony and ion transport slows back down.

Researchers found that the sweet spot was achieved by functionalizing around 80% of the units of the polymer electrolyte with zwitterionic groups. At this point, the pockets connect into channel-like structures that allow ions to hop back and forth in an orderly fashion with minimal resistance.

The research team plans to build on this promising early-stage research with additional investigations into the fundamental mechanisms that enable the superionic nature of the polymer. Modeling and simulations using ORNL supercomputing resources as well as robotic autonomous chemistry coupled with AI will help understand what drives this fascinating performance, and neutron scattering studies are planned at the Spallation Neutron Source, a DOE Office of Science user facility at ORNL, to observe the interactions at the molecular level.

While solid-state batteries are a clear application for the new electrolyte, many energy technologies also rely on effective ion transport. Flow batteries, fuel cells, grid-level energy storage, and many other applications could benefit from these newly developed polymers.

"It's hard to predict all the technologies that could leverage this discovery," Saito said. "Anything that needs an impermeable barrier layer, but lets ions move freely across it, is a potential application."

Provided by Oak Ridge National Laboratory 

 

DIGITAL LIFE

Research shows that thousands of men are asking hackers for help to spy on partners and ex-partners

Thousands of men participate in Telegram groups dedicated to buying and selling digital surveillance tools, accessing intimate images obtained without consent, and tracking services for partners and ex-partners. This is the conclusion of a report by AI Forensics, a non-profit European algorithmic auditing organization, published by Wired magazine.

The research tracked nearly 2.8 million messages exchanged in 16 Telegram communities in Italian and Spanish over six weeks. More than 24,000 members actively participated in sending 82,723 files — including images, videos, and audio — during the analyzed period.

Close victims...A central aspect of the survey is that the documented violence is not limited to public targets. Although celebrities and influencers are also targets, researchers identified that significant portions of the victims are women in the lives of the authors of the posts.

"We tend to forget that most victims are ordinary women who don't know their images are being shared or manipulated on these channels," said Silvia Semenzin, a researcher at AI Forensics who had previously documented similar behavior on Italian Telegram channels in 2019. "Most of this violence is directed at people the perpetrators know."

The AI ​​Forensics report classifies 13 categories of abusive content observed in the communities, ranging from the sharing of intimate images without consent, including those of minors, to doxing (public exposure of personal data) and targeted harassment. Victims were frequently identified by name and locatable through links to social media profiles.

Digital espionage market...Among the monitored content, researchers recorded more than 18,000 references to espionage practices or tools for this purpose. Posts offered access to cell phone photo galleries, hacking into social media accounts, and remote monitoring of partners. One of the translated messages read: "I hack and recover any type of service on social networks. I can spy on your partner's account."

Researchers emphasize that it was not possible to verify whether the advertised tools actually worked. Even so, multiple types of stalkerware, tracking software used in contexts of domestic violence, have been documented in use against women over the last decade.

Access to many of these channels cost between 20 and 50 euros, with monthly subscriptions starting at 5 euros. In some Spanish-language groups, dozens of abusive images were shared per hour.

Telegram's response...Contacted by Wired, a Telegram spokesperson stated that the company removes "millions" of pieces of content daily through "customized AI tools" and that its policies explicitly prohibit the promotion of violence, illegal sexual content, including non-consensual images and doxing. The company also claims to have blocked nearly 12 million groups and channels by 2025, including more than 153,000 linked to child sexual abuse material.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov is facing a criminal investigation in France for alleged criminal activities carried out on the platform.

Semenzin argues that Telegram, with over 1 billion monthly active users, should be classified as a "large-scale online platform" under European digital security legislation, which would imply stricter regulatory obligations.

The AI ​​Forensics research is not the first to document this type of organization on digital platforms. In recent years, similar groups have been identified on Facebook, specific websites, and Telegram in Germany, Portugal, China, and other countries.

"Any platform or app that can be used to harm women and girls will be used for that purpose," Adam Dodge, a lawyer and founder of EndTAB, an organization dedicated to combating technology-enabled abuse, told Wired. "Telegram stands out because it offers anonymity, speed, and large networks of users with similar interests."

For Salvatore Romano, head of research and co-founder of AI Forensics, the identified groups represent only a sample of a much broader phenomenon. "We can probably say that, without Telegram, it would be much more difficult for these people to reach such a large user base," he stated.

mundophone

DIGITAL LIFE

Russia tests armed robot that fires mortars alone, without human intervention

Russia unveiled on Monday (6) a new ground-based robotic system armed with a mortar capable of operating in a fully automated manner, without the need for soldiers on the battlefield. Called Kurier, the equipment was recently tested with live ammunition and could be used in the conflict against Ukraine.

Images released show the tracked vehicle rotating its turret on snow-covered terrain before firing successive 82 mm grenades. After each shot, a mechanical arm performs automatic reloading in about five seconds, maintaining a continuous cycle of fire without human intervention.

The experimental machine has been filmed for the first time undergoing live-fire trials with a newly revealed Bagulnik-82 mortar module, according to Russian outlet RG.

In the video, the tracked robot is seen rotating its turret in a snowfield before unleashing a series of 82mm mortar rounds.

After firing at a target far away in the distance, an automated mechanical arm swings into action, swiftly inserting fresh rounds into the mortar tube.

This terrifyingly fast reload cycle takes just five seconds.

The weapon is designed to operate remotely on the battlefield either alongside Russian troops or to be used to fire at will without them.

The Kremlin footage of the Bagulnik-82 module is the first time the autonomous weapon has been showcased publicly.

Military analysts believe it is likely based on Russia’s 2B24 82mm light mortar.

Putin is known to try and deploy bizarre new weapons into battle to help continue his flailing war.

Automation on the battlefield...The mortar module used, identified as Bagulnik-82, had not yet been officially presented. Analysts believe that the system may be based on the Russian 2B24 light mortar, but with adaptations aimed at total automation, an indication that the conflict is moving towards a scenario with greater prominence of unmanned systems.

The expectation is that the equipment can be operated remotely and eventually sent for use in combat. The development comes amid the intensification of the war, which has already lasted more than four years since the Russian invasion of Ukrainian territory.

Meanwhile, recent attacks are increasing the pressure on civilians and infrastructure. In the port city of Odessa, Russian bombings killed two women and a child, and injured others, according to local authorities and President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In response, Ukrainian drones have struck strategic targets inside Russia, including oil facilities and ports on the Black Sea. Moscow claims to have intercepted dozens of unmanned aircraft in recent attacks.

The clashes are also affecting the energy infrastructure. Ukrainian regions have suffered significant damage to the power grid, leaving hundreds of thousands of homes without power. At the same time, Kyiv warns of the urgent need to strengthen air defense systems in the face of increased Russian attacks.

The technological escalation, with the increasing use of drones and now armed robotic systems, signals a new phase of the conflict, marked by a reduction in the direct human presence on the front lines and an expansion in the use of automated weapons.

After multiple instances of UGVs in Ukraine from both sides fitted with machine guns or grenade launchers, a UGV with a Bagulnik-82 82 mm mortar system providing longer range and more meaningful firepower has made its appearance. The UGV used as the platform for Bagulnik-82 is the Kurier medium-class UGV which has been introduced recently.

Bagulnik-82 uses a robotic arm that picks and loads the ammunition without human intervention for reloading. The mortar is also fitted with recoil dampeners to improve stability, especially on light platforms. 82 mm mortars can reach a range of about four kilometres with standard HE ammunition.

Beyond the range value, indirect fire leaves little room for cover. In addition to this, employment of UAVs to provide location and, by extension, range has greatly improved the accuracy of short-range indirect fire weaponry during the war in Ukraine.

Other heavy weaponry proposed for UGVs to provide fire support over the recent years include unguided/guided rockets and even anti-tank missiles.

mundophone