The data overload problem will only get worse in the future, which is why the next frontier in national security (and many other fields) may not be faster, smarter computers, but tapping into powers of the human mind that most modern people don’t even know exist (and deny dogmatically). I’m speaking of “psi” powers, which the CIA and other intelligence agencies have used extensively with some pretty amazing results. Read “Outside the Gates of Science: Why It's Time for the Paranormal to Come in from the Cold” by Damien Broderick for a fascinating account of this research. Remote viewers, for example, have been able to draw detailed pictures of secret bases, Saddam Hussein’s hideout, etc., but the techniques are erratic and don’t seem very amenable to scientific analysis. In general I wonder if the “Butlerian Jihad” of the Dune novels isn’t so far-fetched, and mental training schools like the Mentat and the Benne-Gesserit are the way forward for a civilization drowning in its own data.

This is definitely a revolution in military affairs, maybe more than nuclear weapons, because this technology will definitely be used by all sides. A lot of third world countries could probably almost be taken over right now by remote control, and with improved autonomous capabilities I can't see it being much of a problem in the future. The possibilities for proxy wars are really interesting -- what's to stop the U.S., China and Russia from waging remote-control robot wars for control of resource-rich countries in the third world? The natives with AK-47's won't be able to offer much resistance, and the political cost to the robotic powers could be minimal if the only casualties are machines. I think this is the brave new world we're moving into: robot police actions vs. terrorists in failed states and proxy robotic resource wars between the major powers. Then of course there's the possibility of a modern day Saruman, some power mad industrialist, mass-producing robots instead of Uruk-Hai and unleashing them on the world for his own nefarious purposes. It should be quite interesting to watch this technology develop -- it all reminds me of a real life anime movie or Philip K. Dick novel.