The US military wants to incorporate commercial private sector artificial intelligence algorithms into its operations to improve efficiency and productivity, but is clearly concerned about the current security risks associated with the technology.
Speaking at the recent AWS Summit in Washington DC, Young Bang, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, highlighted the efficiency of adopting existing AI tools rather than creating new ones from scratch.
The US military is reportedly very excited about the technology's potential to process its vast data reserves, where it can handle huge amounts of data in seconds.
The US military wants to use commercially available artificial intelligence
Among the six branches of the U.S. armed forces, the Army is the most frequent user of artificial intelligence and algorithms, thanks to its data-rich environment. This reliance on data underscores its desire to speed up processing and handling with a practical injection of AI.
However, despite the clear benefits of AI, the transition is not without its challenges. Security issues, including bias, hallucinations and the potential for data breaches, need to be carefully considered.
The Army is therefore planning to issue a request for information to the private sector for solutions, rather than addressing the risks internally.
Bang summed up for the AWS audience: “This is the Army saying we need your help.”
While specific details about the timeline for the request for information are still unclear, a spokesperson confirmed with Washington Technology that a series of requests would occur in the coming months.
While the U.S. military has a knack for doing “certain things really well,” Bang suggested the private sector is best suited to help in this scenario.
As work continues to automate some of the U.S. Army's processes, the military is continuing to assess and respond to adoption obstacles in preparation for the day when commercial AI becomes active in the U.S. Army.
