A Student, An Airstrike, And The Accountability Gap in AI Targeting

An investigation by Airwars and The Independent found a 2024 US airstrike in Iraq that killed student Abdul-Rahman al-Rawi may be the first confirmed civilian death tied to AI-assisted targeting used by the US military.

RAW co-director Jessica Dorsey said Centcom’s inability to confirm whether AI was involved suggests the military “[is] not keeping a record of ‘targeting’ assessments,” raising concerns about accountability in AI-supported strikes. Dorsey also warns that increasing reliance on AI in targeting risks “cognitive shifting” and “deskilling” among human operators, as decision-makers may gradually defer critical judgment to automated systems.