Death by AI / Andy Worthington

In this powerful episode of *This Is Hell!*, host Chuck Mertz welcomes investigative journalist Andy Worthington to discuss the devastating role of artificial intelligence in modern warfare, particularly in the context of Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza. Worthington argues that AI-driven military targeting has normalized indiscriminate violence, erasing the rules of proportionality established after World War II. He details how Israel's use of AI systems like Palantir and Lavender enables rapid, unchecked targeting—generating hundreds of targets per hour with minimal human oversight—leading to the mass slaughter of civilians. The episode exposes how these systems are not neutral tools but extensions of imperial and colonial power, designed to justify and accelerate destruction. Worthington emphasizes that AI does not make war less deadly; rather, it amplifies human evil by automating and accelerating decisions that would otherwise require moral reckoning. He draws parallels between the drone wars under Obama, the torture at Guantanamo, and today’s AI-enabled warfare, all driven by a relentless pursuit of control and domination. The conversation also critiques the U.S. and Western complicity, the myth of AI as a neutral force, and the environmental and social costs of data centers. Ultimately, Worthington insists that the root of the crisis is not technology, but human evil—systemic, institutional, and enabled by a global order that prioritizes power over life.