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.

“The rapid advancement and proliferation of new technologies is changing the character of war.”

“To prevent the erosion of the U.S. competitive military advantage, DOD is investing in new technologies to compete, deter, and if necessary, fight and win the wars of the future.”

– White House Fiscal Year 2020 Federal Budget

DoD’s investment in AI is crucial to its continuing military advantage, ensuring the U.S. military does not lag behind rival world powers. Breaking Defense has prepared a special E-Book on Artificial Intelligence in defense, about the promise, cautionary points and future development.

Download the special Breaking Defense E-Book, Artificial Intelligence: The Frontline of a New Age in Defense. It’s free, and provides ideas and insights on the emergence of AI as a key factor in national security.