NSCAI Advises DOD to Prepare Basic Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure by 2025

An independent advisory committee said the Department of Defense should have a basic artificial intelligence infrastructure prepared by 2025 if it wants to achieve its ambitious AI goals in the coming years.

In a draft report sent to Congress, the National Security Commission on AI cautioned that failure to meet the timeline could cause major setbacks in programs such as the Joint All-Domain Command and Control initiative and put DOD at risk of falling further behind the global AI race.

According to the NSCAI, the foundations needed for the widespread integration of AI include a common digital infrastructure, a technically literate workforce and modern AI-enabled business practices, FedScoop reported.

To establish these foundations, the commission recommends that DOD embrace more information technology modernization efforts and make better use of data. 

The report also highlights digital ecosystem initiatives that the Defense Department should implement to ensure enterprise-wide adoption of AI, such as acquisition reforms and increased bandwidth for data sharing.

Among other things, the commission urged DOD to reject bans against integrating AI in lethal weapons systems and create software teams within combatant commands. It was also suggested that DOD establish an academic center of excellence to concentrate university work on defense AI.

Workforce reform is another focus of the report. Some recommendations center around improving government tech talent, including improving recruiting practices and retraining current employees to understand AI. 

The latest report adds to previous policy recommendations offered by the commission. Recent reports focused on recommendations to significantly raise the federal research and development budget and create a digital corps and a military cyber academy.

The NSCAI is chaired by former DOD Deputy Secretary Bob Work and Google Chief Executive Officer Eric Schmidt.