Military Operating Systems Bring AI To The Battlefield

The US finds itself in the middle of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) arms race, with the aim to gain decision dominance on the battlefield for whoever gets there first. 

Now, the Pentagon’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC) has begun a joint operating system that can use, make and field AI algorithms. AI is widely recognised as a vital military capability that will only grow in importance in the era of Multi-Domain Operations (MDO). In the MDO platforms and systems across land, sea, air, space and cyber will interact and reinforce one another.

In order to make this happen, military forces will process vast amounts of data using information processing, and AI can significantly improve the processes analysing data at a rate far beyond a human analyst. This work is one key piece of the centre’s new Artificial Intelligence and Data Accelerator (AIDA) set up by the US Dept. of Defense in 2021. 

AIDA  marks a broad initiative to boost data-based decision-making across the US military’s 11 combat commands.

“AIDA brings us, in small teams, out to the combatant commanders…And so what we're trying to do from an information advantage perspective is bring them the advantages of good data and good artificial intelligence-generating insights,” said AIDA Director, Lt. Gen. Michael Groen at a recent conference. Groen also said that his office has already begun working with different commands to help them shape and curate their data environments.

“Throughout AIDA, we hope to illuminate what's possible,” Groen said, and “do lots of experiments within their data environments to help them make sense of their environments more clearly.” Groen said 

In developing this new integration layer, the  aim is to make AI algorithm-sharing and usage easier for the military decision-makers involved. In Groen's view, it’s imperative for the United States to organise AI  innovation enough swiftly in order to be competitive against strategic competitors, particularly China, in the event of future conflict.

US Dept. of Defense:    DefensOne:      NextGov:      Real Clear Defense:    Shepard Media: 

You Might Also Read: 

China Intends To Be An AI Superpower: