In a striking development, a recent poll reveals that one in three Germans support the idea of allowing artificial intelligence to make critical life-or-death decisions on the battlefield. This survey, conducted by Public First for POLITICO, highlights a significant shift in public sentiment regarding the use of AI in military operations.
Cultural shift in perceptions of AI in warfare
According to the poll, a notable 33% of respondents in Germany favor the implementation of AI systems in weaponry over human decision-makers, despite concerns about transparency. This change in perspective is particularly noteworthy given the current political landscape, where the government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz no longer categorically excludes the possibility of lethal decisions being made without human oversight.
In comparison to Germany, public opinion in allied nations paints a different picture. In the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and France, only 26% of respondents expressed support for military reliance on AI instead of human judgment. Furthermore, 47% of Germans still prefer human involvement in weapon usage, even if it results in slower decision-making—a figure that is significantly lower than in other countries, including the U.K. and the U.S.
AI’s role in modern warfare
The survey also reveals that 46% of Germans believe that advancements in cybersecurity and AI capabilities are just as crucial as traditional military strength in determining the outcomes of wars. This growing acceptance of so-called lethal autonomous weapons systems, often referred to as “killer robots,” stands in contrast to Germany’s historical reluctance to embrace new technologies, particularly concerning data privacy.
Germany has faced intense public scrutiny over the ethics of autonomous weapons in recent years. A 2021 survey commissioned by a coalition of NGOs against killer robots found that only 19% of participants approved of such systems, with 68% expressing ethical concerns about decisions made independently of human control. In 2018, a staggering 72% were against autonomous weapons altogether.
The current coalition government in Berlin has altered its stance, as it no longer explicitly prohibits lethal decisions without human intervention, a significant departure from the previous center-left government. As AI-enabled weapons continue to evolve, the dynamics of warfare are changing, as evidenced by their role in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, where drones have become key players in military strategies.
Germany is set to invest €267.7 million in a novel drone system from defense startup Helsing. However, reports indicate that these drones have underperformed relative to expectations in the field.
“Politically unacceptable and morally repugnant,”
is how United Nations Secretary General António Guterres has described these autonomous weapons, emphasizing the need for clear international regulations. Despite extensive discussions at the U.N., definitive guidelines for the use of such weapons remain elusive.
The European Union’s AI Act, which was enacted in 2024, aims to address risks associated with AI technologies; however, it does not extend its regulations to military applications, which are governed by individual member states’ sovereignty.
This edition of the POLITICO Poll surveyed 10,289 adults online between February 6 and 9, with at least 2,000 respondents from each of the U.S., Canada, U.K., France, and Germany. The results were weighted to ensure representative demographics across age, gender, and geography, with an overall margin of error of ±2 percentage points for each country. Smaller groups within the survey exhibit higher margins of error.