Manhattan Project

A new commentary argues that policymakers are leaning too heavily on Manhattan Project-era nuclear analogies when thinking about artificial intelligence, and that this framing is distorting AI governance. The author contends that treating AI like nuclear weapons encourages centralized, secrecy-driven approaches that fit poorly with how AI technology actually develops and spreads, and calls for policy grounded in AI's realities rather than Cold War precedent.

Ukraine has announced a large-scale programme to build an 'army of robots', described by officials as a 'Manhattan Project for physical AI'. The initiative aims to develop autonomous ground and aerial systems at scale for battlefield use, drawing comparisons to the World War Two atomic research effort. The announcement has drawn international attention given Ukraine's ongoing war with Russia and the growing role of drones and robotics in modern combat.

The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies is highlighting 'Lessons from Los Alamos,' drawing attention to the historical and policy legacy of the site where the first atomic bombs were developed. The discussion centers on what the Manhattan Project's history can teach today's nuclear nonproliferation and arms control efforts.

IEEE Spectrum takes readers inside the reactor that produced the plutonium used in the "Fat Man" bomb dropped on Nagasaki in 1945. The feature offers a rare look at the historic site where weapons-grade material was first manufactured at scale, recounting its role in the Manhattan Project and its place in nuclear history.