Beckett, Warburg and others in “The Human Factor”

Beckett

I don’t understand what a car driving through the desert has to do with Dale Tanner.

[holding the photo up] Intelligence reports said there were three high-ranking Afghan militants in this car. It was the right make and model, traveling at a high rate of speed. So the drone pilot was given the green light to strike. But then, he saw those red dots on the trunk, and he had a feeling. So he aborted the mission. There were no militants in that car. The red dots were roses; because the young couple driving down that desert road had just gotten married. That’s when I knew I could no longer be a part of the drone program.

Castle

But I don’t understand why. The pilot didn’t fire.

Because the next generation of drones won’t have pilots. The new AI software will give drones decision-making capability. They’ll assess the data and take lethal action all on their own.

Castle

Really will be rise of the machines.

Those new drones would turn that car to ash without hesitation. That’s why, when lives are at stake, we need a man who sees roses. We need the human factor.