Published on: 2026-09-14
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
September 14, 2026 Peace and Security
A 21st-century mercenary can be located thousands of kilometers away from the battlefield. He does not necessarily have to wear a military uniform or hold a weapon. He can operate a drone, analyze satellite images, hack computer systems, monitor people through their phones, or use artificial intelligence to create convincing videos for recruiting fighters.
A new report by the UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries shows how far this digital transformation has spread in recent years. The document was presented to the UN Human Rights Council by the Chair of the Working Group, Michelle Small.
“We live in an era of rapid development of new technologies and widespread digitalization, which has serious consequences for human rights,” she stated.
The authors of the report propose introducing a new concept – “mercenarism using technology.” This refers to the commercial development, sale, and use of digital, cybernetic, geospatial, and autonomous tools by private entities in the interests of state or non-state clients. Such services enable conducting espionage and surveillance, carrying out cyberattacks and sabotage, manipulating information, and participating in military operations.
War as a digital constructor
A modern military operation may consist of technologies many of which were originally created for civilian purposes. A commercial satellite photographs the area, a drone transmits the image, a facial recognition program attempts to identify the person, and an algorithm matches this information with data from social networks and other sources.
Private companies already offer clients complete packages of such services: thermal imaging surveillance, signal interception, biometric identification, open source analysis, encrypted communication, threat forecasting, and automatic risk notification.
Some platforms are capable of virtually real-time integration of data from satellites, drones, electronic intelligence means, and the internet. In certain cases, the report states, AI-based systems generated tens of thousands of targets, with only a few seconds allocated to a person for verifying each one.
Another example demonstrates the capabilities of autonomous cyber operations. In 2025, a national computer emergency response team reported an attack during which artificial intelligence agents reportedly autonomously carried out about 90 percent of the hacking cycle. Human involvement was limited to authorizing individual actions. The report authors believe that such systems could be used to conduct large-scale attacks against multiple targets simultaneously.
“When machine analysis and forecasting systems are used to identify targets, often with limited human oversight, the risk of errors, bias, and misidentification significantly increases. Thus, this directly affects the right to life,” Small warned.
Drones that don’t need a satellite
Commercial companies are already selling drones with artificial intelligence capable of operating without satellite navigation signals. Autonomous platforms can manage sensor networks and carry out interception with limited human involvement.
According to the report, one private company was linked to 141 drone operations and at least 1,243 casualties from March 2025 to January 2026. In Latin America and the Caribbean, armed drones are used by non-state criminal groups, some of which hire mercenaries or individual contractors. The use of such technologies has also been documented in Africa and other regions.
The authors of the document warn that the algorithms used to compile “target lists” may be based on racial or religious biases or serve predetermined political and ideological purposes. A separate issue is related to biometric systems and facial recognition technologies: they are capable of reproducing and reinforcing racial, religious, and gender stereotypes.
“Hiring Disinformation”
Social media has become yet another tool for private military operations. The report talks about the emerging market for “disinformation for hire,” or “disinformation as a service.”
A client can purchase a campaign that includes deepfakes, fake voices of politicians, AI-created avatars, and coordinated networks of automated and semi-automated accounts. These are used to create an illusion of mass public support, discredit political opponents, and interfere in elections. One of the materials presented to the Working Group reports 33 informational campaigns interfering in elections in 12 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Digital platforms are also used for recruitment. The report lists TikTok, Telegram, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Discord, VKontakte, and even the military computer game Arma 3. Potential recruits are shown staged or AI-processed materials that romanticize war, payment, and the lifestyle of a fighter.
Children are especially vulnerable. Music, filters, emojis, and coded expressions are used to attract their attention. The spread of dangerous content is facilitated by recommendation algorithms and platform design elements such as infinite scrolling, autoplay, and prompt notifications.
“Particular concern is raised by the use of synthetic content created by artificial intelligence and distributed through digital platforms and social networks for recruiting children and youth into armed conflicts and spreading hatred, violence, and disinformation,” emphasized Michelle Small.
A war paid for with emojis
Not only operations but also their financing have become digital. Sometimes funds are raised almost imperceptibly – through virtual badges and emojis embedded in social media applications.
Separately, stablecoins, crypto-assets focused on maintaining anonymity, decentralized exchanges, and services that allow hiding money movement are used to pay mercenaries, providers of hacking software, and offensive cyber services. Smart contracts can automatically settle with the contractor after completing a certain stage of the operation, bypassing regulated financial intermediaries.
Establishing responsibility is extremely difficult. The provider may be registered in one country, use servers and hosting services in another, and provide services to end users in a third. Digital evidence is often stored in the cloud and can be quickly altered or deleted.
“Although technological capabilities are developing rapidly, accountability mechanisms are not keeping pace,” Small stated.
The working group calls for a moratorium on the use of force by artificial intelligence systems and on autonomous weapons that cannot be properly controlled. Technology companies are recommended to disclose contract information, label AI-generated content with cryptographic watermarks, and cease servicing systems related to illegal surveillance or autonomous targeting.
At the same time, UN experts emphasize: “The technology itself is not harmful.” The same cameras, analytical programs, and license plate recognition systems help find kidnapped people, solve armed robberies, and prevent crimes. The main question is who controls them, what they are used for, and whether the final decision remains with a person—especially when someone else’s life depends on it.
Please be advised; This information is raw content received directly from the information source. It represents an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.