Naval Summit Promotes Effective Use, Development of Artificial Intelligence

Discussions at the recent Naval Artificial Intelligence Summit focused on the efficient and effective development and deployment of AI to ensure the U.S. Navy and the Department of Defense can maximize the use of the technology to improve their warfighting and corporate functions. The event was held from Dec. 5 to 9 at the Naval Postgraduate School.

According to Navy Chief AI Officer Brett Vaughan, topics discussed include AI training and education, AI and machine learning operations deployment pipelines, and the deployment of AI to distributed maritime operations and the hybrid fleet – a concept called AI Fusion, the U.S. Navy website reported.

Over 160 participants from the DOD and the Navy’s AI task forces, development centers and Fleet Marine Force attended the summit. Partners from the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Joint Staff and the Chief Digital and AI Office were also present.

Marine Corps Maj. Jack Long, a marine reservist at the Office of Naval Research and deputy Navy chief AI officer, said AI is an emergent and disruptive tool that can enhance operations but can also be used against the U.S. military.

Integrating AI into weapon systems has been an ongoing effort in the Navy, involving cooperation with partner countries. Earlier in January, the U.S. Navy participated in the International Maritime Security Construct’s three-day Sentinel Shield exercise, during which the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black and two Saildrone Explorer unmanned surface vessels demonstrated how AI could increase Coalition Task Force Sentinel’s maritime domain awareness in Middle Eastern waters.

CFT Sentinel is the operational task force of the IMSC, a consortium of countries aimed at maintaining order and security in the region. Members of the IMSC are the U.S., the UK, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Albania, Bahrain, Estonia, Lithuania and Romania.