New disturbing claims from one ex-intelligence officer allege that China is developing genetically modified 'super soldiers' using AI that enhance the physical and mental capabilities of its military.
You don't have to look far in science fiction to see visions of 'super soldiers' in the future that have been enhanced by new technologies to overcome the capabilities of humans.
Whether it be through physical modifications or directly via the solder's DNA, altering these soldiers almost always ends in a military advantage, albeit arguably at a significant cost to the soldiers themselves.
Those science fiction nightmares could soon become reality thanks to accusations from one former US intelligence officer, as he proclaims that the Chinese military is altering the genetics of its soldiers to improve their physical and mental capacities.
What has the ex-intelligence officer said?
As reported by NewsNation, Nicholas Eftimiades, a former senior intelligence officer at the United States Defense Intelligence Agency, has seemingly corroborated comments from Sen. Mark Warner that China is attempting to create genetically enhanced 'super soldiers'.
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"They've been exploring this concept for a while," Eftimiades claims. "Can they modify human behavior, human physiology, to create, if you will, a more superior individual, physically as well as mentally?"
He asserts that little is still known about the fully extent of these experiments, as they likely remain top secret and guarded within the Chinese government, but it remains still "promising" in the grand scheme of things.
China aren't the only nation to attempt experiments of this kind either, as Eftimiades illustrates: "Other nations have explores in this area over decades. So it's not the newest thing in the world, but the more disturbing part [is] we don't know exactly how much effort they're putting in towards it.
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"We don't know any of the accomplishments they've had towards it. We do know, which is disturbing, is that it's under the People's Liberation Army."
This follows on from claims that Chinese-made electrical inverts have infiltrated the American electrical grid, giving the government a 'kill switch' in the event of a global conflict.
As Eftimiades explains it's unclear quite what China has achieved so far, but it's likely that they will be attempting to alter the genetics and DNA structure of its soldiers using new technology like artificial intelligence.
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This perhaps could allow soldiers to improve their reaction times, awareness, resilience, and endurance - all of which would hypothetically give the military a greater chance of success in battle.
Some across social media aren't exactly convinced that this could become reality though, seeing it as governments justifying morally dubious experiments to gain an edge over their foreign adversaries.
"MK Ultra should be a reminder that governments will grasp at anything to gain an edge," writes one concerned user on Reddit. "I have no doubts similar ideas are being worked on, or at least toyed with, by many countries. The rest of the puzzle is money and a lack of respect for human life."