North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen the unveiling of new suicide drones equipped with artificial intelligence (AI), according to state media. 

Images released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) show Kim inspecting the drones on a runway, subsequently approving a plan to expand their production.

The drones, also known as loitering munitions, are designed to crash into targets carrying built-in warheads.  Their AI capabilities represent a significant advancement in North Korea’s military technology, initially revealed in August 2024 with a pledge to integrate AI into their weapons systems.

James Patton Rogers, executive director of the Cornell Brooks Tech Policy Institute, told BBC that robustness and security of the AI algorithms guiding these weapons can be questionable.  He suggested that the technology likely benefited from cooperation with Russia, given the increasingly close ties between the two nations. 

This collaboration is further evidenced by reports of North Korean soldiers assisting Russia in its war in Ukraine and potential technology exchange agreements between the two countries.

In addition to the drone, North Korea has also revealed its first airborne early-warning aircraft.