NASA has reached a turning point in robotic exploration.

The Perseverance rover has completed its first drive on Mars using a route generated entirely by artificial intelligence.

Instead of relying on human teams to analyse terrain, identify hazards and plan carefully spaced waypoints, the rover followed an AI‑designed path across the rim of Jezero Crater on 8 and 10 December 2025.

The system, developed in collaboration with Anthropic, used years of mission imaging and telemetry to assess boulders, slopes and surface conditions, then proposed a safe and efficient route.

Engineers validated this approach in simulation before sending it to Mars, where the rover executed the plan without issue.

According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, this achievement demonstrates the responsible, forward‑looking use of new technology that expands how future missions can operate.

This shift does not replace human expertise; rather, it strengthens mission capability.

As communication delays make real‑time control impossible, increasing autonomy allows rovers to respond more rapidly to unexpected features, accelerate scientific discovery and support future astronauts on the surface.

AI‑planned mobility may become a cornerstone of exploring distant worlds. It represents a move toward more adaptive, efficient and resilient missions across our solar system.

If AI can now chart safe routes on another planet, how far should we allow autonomous systems to go in shaping future exploration?