Futurologist Thomas Druyen – Robot armies and AI drones: How frightening the future of warfare is

How will autonomous weapons systems and artificial intelligence change warfare in the future?

Autonomous weapon systems and artificial intelligence (AI) will radically change the way warfare is conducted in the future. These technologies will enable wars to be fought at a speed and precision that was previously unimaginable. Autonomous weapon systems can operate, identify, analyze and eliminate targets without human intervention. Examples include combat drones, robotic ground systems for armed patrols and defense tasks, underwater drones or proactive air defense systems. These technologies will change the way decisions are made for an “unlimited battlefield” as machines take over operational control instead of humans.

The integration of AI into military strategies will accelerate decision-making processes. AI systems can analyze huge amounts of data in real time, recognize patterns and make recommendations for action that go far beyond human capacity. This leads to greater efficiency and precision in warfare. At the same time, the need to put human soldiers directly in danger is reduced, potentially lowering the barrier to military intervention. The speed with which autonomous systems make decisions could lead to a modern-day “blitzkrieg” in which the enemy has little time to react to attacks.

However, these technologies pose significant risks. Autonomous systems could make bad decisions, especially when faced with unforeseen situations not accounted for in their algorithms. For example, a system could falsely identify civilian targets as military threats. Another significant risk factor is the possibility that such systems could be hacked or tampered with. In such a case, hostile actors could take control of these weapons and use them against their original operators.

In this respect, the future of war is limitless. Everything can be attacked at any time and anywhere for warlike, terrorist or disgusting reasons. But security forces all over the world also have access to these technologies. In this respect, there is no systemic helplessness. But early detection, prevention and the absolute will to defend oneself are ultimate and existential. Only action counts.

Thomas Druyen has been studying the effects of change on the psyche, society and generations for over three decades. He has been director of the Institute for Future Psychology and Future Management since 2015 and director of the Institute for Comparative Wealth Culture and Wealth Psychology at the Sigmund Freud Private University in Vienna since 2006. His current book is called: “Learning from the Future – the Guide to Concrete Change.”

What threats do cyberwars pose to our critical infrastructures such as power grids, communications infrastructures and financial systems?

The threat is gigantic and, as always, double-edged. In cyberwars, computer systems, networks and digital critical infrastructures are targeted in order to torpedo their existential functionality. These infrastructures are the backbone of modern societies and their disruption could have devastating consequences. The main danger lies in power grids, for example, as they are essential for almost all other critical infrastructures. A targeted cyberattack could lead to widespread power outages that paralyze entire cities or regions. This can happen through attacks on control systems such as the so-called SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems that monitor and control the operation of the power grids. A successful attack could also lead to power plants being shut down, substations being damaged or power distribution being manipulated. The effects would be catastrophic: hospitals could fail, water supplies could be interrupted and transport and communication systems could be shut down.

Of course, communication infrastructures such as mobile networks, the Internet and satellite connections are also highly vulnerable to cyber attacks. An attack on these systems could massively disrupt or completely interrupt communication between governments, the military and emergency services. Particularly dangerous are attacks that affect data integrity or availability, such as distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, in which networks are overloaded by massive requests. Interception or manipulation of communication data also poses a significant threat.

Another primary target is financial systems. Attacks on banks, stock exchanges or payment systems could undermine confidence in the economy, destabilize markets and even lead to a global financial crash. Hackers could try to manipulate financial transactions, delete databases or trigger fake transactions, which would cause chaos throughout the entire economic system. The list of threats is long and will be constantly expanded in the future by new innovations. But there is no point in burying your head in the sand on this issue either – on the contrary. The gigantic technologies are also being used sustainably for early detection, prevention and defusing.

How do disinformation and psychological warfare contribute to the escalation of conflicts and how can we protect ourselves from them?

In the age of fakes and lies, disinformation is one of the most urgent sources of communication and war. These tactics aim to undermine trust in institutions, deepen social divisions and manipulate public opinion. By spreading false information and deliberately influencing emotions and opinions, a climate of uncertainty and mistrust is created that destabilizes society and potentially leads to violent conflict.

Disinformation is used deliberately to spread it like thumbtacks to the public. This can be done through fake news, manipulated images or videos, and by spreading lies and half-truths. These tactics often use social media as distribution channels, as these platforms allow information to spread virally and widely. For example, false reports about political events, fake election results or manipulated health information can mislead large parts of the population and provoke extreme reactions.

Psychological warfare aims to undermine the morale and cohesion of the enemy. This can be done by attacking national pride, creating fear or confusion, and fostering distrust within society. Targeted campaigns can set specific groups against each other, promoting social unrest and threatening the stability of a country.

Disinformation and psychological warfare lead to rapid escalation of conflicts by distorting public perceptions and increasing the willingness to take aggressive actions. When populations become unsettled or radicalized, even small incidents can lead to large-scale riots. This is particularly dangerous in tense geopolitical situations, where misunderstandings or misinformation can lead directly to military conflict.

So once again we are faced with a mountain of disaster scenarios. People are absolutely fed up with it. What is the cause of this wave of negativity? The causes lie in poverty, injustice, slavery, disempowerment and abuse of power. In this respect, it is not the world that is bad, but those protagonists who have made evil their method. We should all rebel against this.

You keep talking about a war of hypocrisy? What does that mean?

The hypocrisy in global politics when it comes to preventing wars results from a complex mix of self-interest, power politics and geopolitical realities. Many states, especially powerful nations, rhetorically emphasize their commitment to peace and preventing conflict, but their actions often paint a different picture. This is particularly evident in the poorest regions of the world, where conflicts are often treated as a sideshow as long as they do not threaten the strategic or economic interests of the major powers.

States act primarily according to their own security and power interests. International politics is shaped by the pursuit of power and influence, which leads governments to sacrifice stability and peace in other regions if it serves their own goals. For example, powerful states sometimes support warring parties in conflicts to pursue their own geopolitical goals, even if this leads to an escalation of violence.

The abundance of resources in conflict regions, such as oil, gas or rare earths, can reduce the willingness to support genuine peace efforts. Instead, governments or groups that secure access to these resources are often supported, even if this leads to further instability. Economic and egocentric self-interest often outweighs the moral imperative to end conflicts.

Preventing wars in other parts of the world follows the logic of immediate benefit for one's own political strategy. International crises are often exploited to gain domestic support or to distract from one's own problems. This leads to a discrepancy between public commitments to peace and actual actions on the global stage.

In my view, the phenomenon of hypocrisy is the psychological breeding ground for all conflicts. Lies are told everywhere until the roof comes off. But instead of clarifying and sanctioning this, fan clubs are formed that sell the untruth as their own propaganda. In this respect, stupidity and unscrupulousness can also be seen as the biggest causes of war. Added to this are crime, the darknet, clans and many other parallel worlds in which contempt for humanity determines the business model. None of this is a law of nature, but man-made and therefore changeable.