DoD Growth In Artificial Intelligence: The Frontline Of A New Age In Defense

The Pentagon is figuring ways to harness artificial intelligence (AI) for advantages as far flung as battlespace autonomy, intelligence analysis, record tracking, predictive maintenance and military medicine. AI is a key growth investment area for DoD, with nearly $1 billion allocated in the 2020 budget. The Defense Department's Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC) will see its budget double to over $208 million, with significant increases likely in 2021 and beyond. JAIC seeks to coordinate all military service and defense agency artificial intelligence activity over a $15 million benchmark. The military is currently seeking to integrate AI into weapon systems development, augment human operators with AI-driven robotic maneuver on the battlefield and enhance the precision of military fires.