Arrr, ye scurvy dogs at the Pentagon be seekin' to forge a mighty 'fleet' o' AI drones, to outwit China, says th' tale.
2023-09-09
Arrr! The land o' China be puttin' a mighty treasure into discoverin' artificial intelligence, aimin' to join it with their military might. They be lettin' their armed forces tinker an' play with this fancy tech. Now, the Pentagon be wantin' the U.S. to match their haste, ye scurvy dogs!
The Pentagon is considering the development of an AI-powered fleet of drones and autonomous systems to counter threats from China. Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that the US cannot wait while China continues to rapidly expand its military capabilities. The Pentagon plans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on the project, aiming to deploy thousands of AI systems within the next two years.China has heavily invested in AI research and development, creating its own platforms and models for military use. US military officials have labeled China as the top "pacing challenge" due to its rapid expansion. Representative Michael McCaul compared the competition over AI systems to the space race and stressed the importance of the US winning to maintain global military and economic dominance.
The US has banned investment in Chinese semiconductors and chips, while China has declared US chips from Micron a security risk, escalating tensions over chip dominance. The Pentagon believes that developing an AI fleet could help tip the balance in the struggle for AI dominance. Autonomous systems would focus on navigation and targeting, utilizing computer vision technology.
Hicks highlighted the dynamic nature of the adversary and the pace of innovation, emphasizing the need to constantly adapt and develop new technologies. The concept of drone swarms, which China has shown substantial development in, was not specifically mentioned. However, the fleet's development faces funding concerns as contractors believe the allocated funds may not be enough to meet the project's goals.
The Pentagon budget requests around $1.8 billion for AI research and development, but specific details about funding allocation are scarce. The UK has faced similar criticisms for not allocating enough funds to keep up with the US and China in the technology race. The Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment.