The U.S. Army recently tested a fully AI-controlled ground vehicle, named ULTRA, in Vaziani, Georgia, approximately 100 miles from the Russian border, last month during a training exercise.
The ULTRA is an all-wheel drive, off-road vehicle comparable in size to a standard car. Military-published footage showed the ULTRA navigating the European terrain effectively without human intervention. During the exercise, the vehicle’s primary role involved resupplying soldiers in the field.
Both the U.S. military and the developer of the ULTRA believe the machine possesses capabilities extending beyond its current application. The Pentagon has maintained a long-term investment in drone technology and artificial intelligence, asserting for decades that these technologies represent the future direction of warfare. The operational deployment and testing of the ULTRA indicate a progression toward an era where AI-controlled robotic systems will be present on future battlefields.