The KX-12, though officially a probe droid, could be adapted to play many roles. MerenData maintained the blaster appendage was designed to clear debris, but its firepower, in conjunction with its ability to hover into dangerous locations, allowed it to act as a security droid, a patrol droid, a medical droid, a hunting droid, a utility droid or a battle droid.
Many KX-12s were later reprogrammed and sent on espionage missions. They could be loaded into hollowed shells and fired at an enemy planet, detonating the shell before impact and using its repulsors to brake to avoid destruction on impact with the surface. They were used as security droids in the Peragus Mining Facility, in Khoonda, and on Tatooine. Goto reprogrammed one to serve as a torture droid on his yacht, and Davik Kang also used the droid as a torture droid.