Sean Freeman and his creative partner Eve Steben were commissioned by the Washington Post Magazine to create the cover art & feature illustration for a special issue, focusing on ethical questions related to artificial intelligence and the future of warfare.

“Complex ethical dilemmas shape warfare. What will happen once machines start making these decisions? That’s the question at the centre of this cover story. The notion of “killer robots” is a trope of science fiction, but the ability of machines to kill autonomously is no longer just for movie screens. The military is debating where to draw a line on letting war machines kill on their own. Such autonomous machines were once beyond the technical grasp of scientists that are debating their ethics was merely an intellectual exercise. As the technology has caught up to the idea, that debate has become very real, driven by waves of investments by the Pentagon.”

You can see more of Sean Freeman's work here