US predicts China may build ‘Terminator’ soldiers

By Dean Murray

China may build an army of Terminator-like soldiers, an official U.S. study has warned.

A new report by the U.S. National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) predicts China could produce "genetically enhanced PLA super-soldiers with fused human and artificial intelligence."

The "Charting the Future of Biotechnology" document explains the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) aims to use biotechnology-powered troops to make the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) a “world-class military” by 2049.

It cites the country's 'human-machine teaming' and alleged work on bioengineering humans, and reports: "In 2018, an ostensibly rogue Chinese scientist produced genetically modified babies and though briefly imprisoned, is already back in the lab."

The study says: "At the outset of World War I, the United States did not yet fully appreciate how airplanes would rapidly change the nature of war. But once we understood the significance of aviation for force projection, reconnaissance, logistical support, and beyond, we dominated the skies.

"Similarly, the full impact of the biotechnology revolution will not be clear until it arrives. But one thing is certain: it is coming. There will be a ChatGPT moment for biotechnology, and if China gets there first, no matter how fast we run, we will never catch up."

Citing China's striving for “intelligent warfare,” the report warns: "Our window to act is closing. We need a two-track strategy: make America innovate faster, and slow China down."

"The Commission has every reason to believe that the CCP will weaponize biotechnology. Drone warfare will seem quaint," the study adds.

Established by Congress in the 2022, NSCEB is tasked with examining the intersection of biotechnology and national security, assessing the implications of biotechnology advances, and recommending strategies to ensure U.S. leadership and security in this critical field.