The militarization of artificial intelligence has quickly become one of the most urgent issues in AI ethics and governance. From the Pentagon's ongoing standoff with Anthropic over military access to AI models, to Palantir's AI targeting system that directed a thousand strikes a day in the war with Iran, to the recent exposure of deep financial ties between every major AI company and the Department of War, Silicon Valley’s entanglements with the U.S. military now looms large.
This summer, the Ahmanson Lab will offer Research Scholarships to support students who wish to examine issues around AI warfare through a six-week reading and research program. In weeks one through three, students will meet weekly to discuss key texts on the history and politics of AI warfare and develop their research questions. In weeks three through six, scholars will write an original article in consultation with Dr. Curtis Fletcher, to be published in the Lab's undergraduate journal, Simulation & Society.
The program will accept five students who will each receive a $1000 scholarship. This program is open to all undergraduates; no prior background in AI is required. The program will run from June 8 to July 17 with weekly meetings taking place over Zoom on Wednesdays, 1:00pm-2:30pm (PDT).
The deadline for applications is May 15, 2026.
Contact Curtis Fletcher at cfletche@usc.edu with any questions.