The DAF-MIT AI Accelerator is a collaboration between the United States Department of the Air Force (DAF) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This program pioneers fundamental advances in artificial intelligence (AI) to expand the competitive advantage of the United States in the defense and civilian sectors. In recent years, AI Accelerator projects have developed and launched public challenge problems aimed at advancing AI research in priority areas. Hallmarks of AI Accelerator challenges include large, publicly available, and AI-ready datasets to stimulate open-source solutions and engage the wider academic and private sector AI ecosystem. This article supplements our previous publication, which introduced AI Accelerator challenges. We provide an update on how ongoing and new challenges have successfully contributed to AI research and applications of AI technologies.

Through a series of federal initiatives and orders, the U.S. Government has been making a concerted effort to ensure American leadership in AI. These broad strategy documents have influenced organizations such as the United States Department of the Air Force (DAF). The DAF-MIT AI Accelerator is an initiative between the DAF and MIT to bridge the gap between AI researchers and DAF mission requirements. Several projects supported by the DAF-MIT AI Accelerator are developing public challenge problems that address numerous Federal AI research priorities. These challenges target priorities by making large, AI-ready datasets publicly available, incentivizing open-source solutions, and creating a demand signal for dual use technologies that can stimulate further research. In this article, we describe these public challenges being developed and how their application contributes to scientific advances.

The following declaration was released by the Governments of the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the September 25 inaugural meeting of the Special Relationship Economic Working Group. We intend to establish a bilateral government-to-government dialogue on the areas identified in this vision and explore an AI R&D ecosystem that promotes the mutual wellbeing, prosperity, and security of present and future generations. Signed in London and Washington on September 25, 2020, in two originals, in the English language.

Much anticipated and long awaited! The Defense Innovation Board released its final report "AI Principles: Recommendations on the Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence by the United States Department of Defense What an exciting moment! Incredible leadership and a very thoughtful deliberative process that brought a multitude of stakeholders to the convening table.

In this Thursday, July 11, 2019, photograph, United States Department of Agriculture intern Alex Olsen prepares to place down a drone at a research farm northeast of Greeley, Colo. After a brief, snaking flight above the field, the drone landed and the researchers removed a handful of memory cards. Back at their computers, they analyzed the images for signs the corn was stressed from a lack of water. This U.S. Department of Agriculture station outside Greeley and other sites across the Southwest are experimenting with drones, specialized cameras and other technology to squeeze the most out of every drop of water in the Colorado River – a vital but beleaguered waterway that serves an estimated 40 million people. Should they still be able to use it?

Data influences every aspect of your life. If not completely already, the technological landscape will be completely data-centric in the near future. The device you are reading this article on probably collects your data to optimize your user experience. Or, you may have been recommended this article based on your reading habits. Even, the self-driving car you use may take data collected from other cars on the road to keep you safe.