1.2M views · Nov 13, 2017 · 7:48 · 2 HN recommenders · 12 mentions · discussed 2018–2025
An 8-minute fictional short film, made by campaigners for a ban on autonomous weapons, depicting swarms of cheap AI-guided micro-drones used to kill targeted people. It ends with a call to action against autonomous weapons.
Why Hacker News points people here: HN cites it whenever drone swarms or autonomous weapons come up, as a dramatized warning that now feels increasingly plausible.
“7 years ago, this felt like science fiction”HN comment, 2025
“It's very well done and has an HN vibe to it”
Very well done short film with an HN vibe
I'm surprised there's no mention of the short film "Slaughterbots" on this exact topic: this video It's very well done and has an HN vibe to it (with a dark twist, of course).
“There is another slaughterbots video that's worth watching”
Another Slaughterbots video worth watching on autonomous killer drones.
There is another slaughterbots video that's worth watching, this video There's also a real video by anduril industries about this not anymore fictional scenario link
“I think that scifi shorts have the duty and power to show us the paths that certain developments entail.”
Sci-fi short showing paths of developments
The problem emerges when an actor most become a monster to win, sort of like Mutually Assured Destruction. I think that scifi shorts have the duty and power to show us the paths that certain developments entail. For example: - Slaughterbots: this video - Last Day of War: link
“Have you seen the Slaughterbots video?”
Potentially more dangerous with simpler hardware
Have you seen the Slaughterbots video? They seem potentially more dangerous and the hardware is much simpler: this video
“I know it is rather sensationalized, but how far off is this kind of technology?”
Sensationalized but raises how near the technology is
I know it is rather sensationalized, but how far off is this kind of technology? this video "Slaughterbots" posted in 2017. If I had to guess, I'd say that the tiny drones in this video still aren't capable of carrying the computational horsepower necessary for a lot of the activities portrayed. But...isn't it really a matter of time?
“The short film "Slaughterbots" ( ) fits it even more precisely though, I'd say.”
Fictional short film about swarms of autonomous killer drones.
Killer bees are in S02E06 "Hated in the Nation", link There is another one with killer dogs in an apocalyptic wasteland (in black and white), S04E05 "Metalhead". The short film "Slaughterbots" ( this video ) fits it even more precisely though, I'd say.
“We are getting closer to a slaughter bot that is actually usable”
Dramatized warning about autonomous slaughter drones.
We are getting closer to a slaughter bot that is actually usable: this video my guess is that politicians will get scared when it becomes a reality
Depicts cheap mass-produced drones killing humans while leaving infrastructure intact.
I think it depends, right? If you have a small number of high cost, high impact UAVs, you will target infra and supply columns. If you happen to have a cargo plane full of cheap, mass produced head-popper slaughterbots which you can dump over a town, they will remove all the humans and leave you with intact buildings, vehicles, and infra. this video
“This dramatization][^1] focuses on full autonomy”
Dramatization of fully autonomous attack drones and why the threat is serious.
Why require RF at all? An attacker could give the drone a location they know their target will be at and let the drone autonomously guide itself to the target. [This dramatization][^1] focuses on full autonomy, but I'd argue it applies just as much to the steps leading up to it. All the more reason to take this threat seriously now. [1]: this video
“7 years ago, this felt like science fiction”
Once-fictional film on autonomous drones that now seems plausible.
7 years ago, this felt like science fiction: this video Now that we've seen the use of drones in the Ukraine war, 10k+ drone light shows, Waymo's autonomous cars, and tons of AI advancements in signals processing and planning, this seems obvious.
“Tyranny as a service is coming and the techno-fascists are thrilled to be in control.”
Now I'm convinced that these degenerates saw the Slaughterbots[1] video and thought "what a great idea!" Tyranny as a service is coming and the techno-fascists are thrilled to be in control. Welcome to the torment nexus. [1]: this video
Did you just upgrade the Slaughter bots? this video actually I think that you didn't because slaughter bots are trying to not cause any collateral damage
