Artificial intelligence co-pilots US military aircraft for the first time

Artificial intelligence helped co-pilot a U-2 "Dragon Lady" spy plane during a test flight Tuesday, the first time artificial intelligence has been used in such a way aboard a US military aircraft. Mastering artificial intelligence or "AI" is increasingly seen as critical to the future of warfare and Air Force officials said Tuesday's training flight represented a major milestone. "The Air Force flew artificial intelligence as a working aircrew member onboard a military aircraft for the first time, December 15," the Air Force said in a statement, saying the flight signaled "a major leap forward for national defense in the digital age." The Artificial Intelligence algorithm, known as "ARTUµ," was developed by researchers at the Air Force's Air Combat Command U-2 Federal Laboratory. The AI system has been "trained ... to execute specific in-flight tasks that otherwise would be done by the pilot," the statement said.