The US Army picked a bidder for AI agents that hunt targets inside networks.

Army Cyber Command chose one company's bid for ECHOTRIBBLE, a program for agents that move through networks on their own, including air-gapped ones, and "neutralize" targets with "minimal human oversight." The Intercept reported Monday, based on documents it obtained, that offensive missions are the main focus. The agents would hop from device to device, report back as little as possible, then delete themselves. The Army's public slides show the software copying itself from a laptop to an iPad, a Mac and a Windows PC, and they target a prototype around Nov. 23. The winning company hasn't been named, and Army Cyber Command didn't answer The Intercept's questions. Why it matters: this is the military version of the self-spreading agent that safety researchers keep warning about. The experts quoted worry most about the path it takes through civilian systems on the way to the target. Sources: TNW, Help Net Security, CFIC event page.