US military uses AI for targeting in Iran war; school bombing kills 170+
The US military confirmed using AI tools including Palantir's Maven Smart System and Anthropic's Claude to assist targeting in its war against Iran. A bombing of a school killed over 170 people mostly children, prompting Congressional calls for investigation into the role of AI in the targeting decision.
What happened
The US military confirmed it is using AI tools, including Palantir's Maven Smart System and Anthropic's Claude, in its war operations against Iran. Brad Cooper, head of CENTCOM, said the systems help process vast amounts of data to support targeting decisions, with humans making final decisions on which targets to strike.
A bombing of a school in southern Iran killed more than 170 people, mostly children, prompting calls for investigation into whether AI targeting was involved. The US-Israeli campaign has killed at least 1,300 people in Iran since February 28, with strikes hitting schools, healthcare facilities, markets, and other civilian infrastructure.
Reported impact
The Iranian Red Crescent Society reported that the bombardment campaign damaged nearly 20,000 civilian buildings and 77 healthcare facilities.
Index analysis
Members of Congress called for oversight and investigation of AI use in military targeting. Representative Jill Tokuda said, 'We need a full, impartial review to determine if AI has already harmed or jeopardized lives in the war with Iran.' Senator Elissa Slotkin expressed concerns about lack of human redundancy in the system.
Governance controls
Anthropic insisted that its AI models not be used for fully autonomous weapons and mass surveillance, creating a public dispute with the Trump administration over Pentagon contracts.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.