This anthology aims to examine the growing significance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in military contexts, as well as the related ethical, legal, and societal challenges. It is assumed that the military context represents a ‘burning glass’ in which the possibilities and problems of artificially intelligent automation are revealed in particular density. The introduction refers to the distinction between deontological and consequentialist ethical approaches, emphasizing the necessity of human accountability. Therefore, it does not advocate for a general ban on AI weapon systems, but rather, an ethically based containment. The introduction also outlines the internal structure of the volume and provides brief summaries of the separate chapters. The contributions analyze AI automation from various points of view, ranging from the cultural reception of technological autonomy to political regulatory approaches, military deployment scenarios, and communicative challenges. The book makes clear that the ‘autonomy’ of technical systems must always be understood within societal, cultural, and communicative contexts. The book is based on a multidisciplinary approach. Aimed at the fields of science, politics, and the military, it seeks to contribute to an open and informed debate.