War by Algorithm
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War by Algorithm

On this episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex reveal the Department of War's newest scapegoat, Artificial Intelligence, and debate whether Congress will ever defend their constitutional power to declare war. First, they break down the technical distinction between LLMs like Claude and targeting systems like Palantir’s Project Maven, explaining how these tools are designed to maximize "target throughput" at the expense of civilian life. Next, they revisit the history of "revolutionary" technology in war, comparing the techno-utopian promises of the Vietnam era to the modern-day obsession with shortening the "kill chain." Finally, they examine the dangerous decay of Congress' constitutional authority over matters of war and peace and discuss the history of the War Powers Act—from the Nixon era to today’s conflicts in Cuba and Iran—and the possibilities and challenges of using this legislative vehicle to actually put a stop America's endless wars. 00:00 – Intro: Watch out for Tech-Neck! 03:07 – The Iran School Strike: Scapegoating the Machine 07:55 – The Real Weapon: Project Maven and Palantir 12:16 – Shortening the "Kill Chain" 16:37 – Efficiency vs. Accuracy: The 2003 Iraq Lesson 32:36 – War Powers: What the Founders Actually Intended 48:54 – Who Wins When We Wage War ### Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy. Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.org Contact the show: alwaysatwar@quincyinst.org Show art by Justin Hantz ### Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. Help fund our research: https://quincyinst.org/donations/ Read our reporting: https://ResponsibleStatecraft.org Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInst TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/quincyinst Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quincyinst Instagram: https://www.instagram.com//quincyinst Website: https://quincyinst.org