The Pentagon Is Building an AI Product Factory

The Pentagon's research chief is deep in discussions about the newly announced Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, or JAIC, a subject of intense speculation and intrigue since Defense Undersecretary for Research and Engineering Michael Griffin announced it last week. Griffin has been sparse in his public comments on what the center will do. But its main mission will be to listen to service requests, gather the necessary talent, and deliver AI-infused solutions, according to two observers with direct knowledge of the discussions. Little else about the center has been decided, they say. "We are looking right now, as we speak, at things like how we structure it, who should lead it, where it should be, how we should structure our other research. These are ongoing questions we are addressing this week," Griffin said at a House Armed Services Committee hearing.