U.S. Military to Utilize AI in Future Military Conflicts

The United States military has initiated testing to determine whether generative AI can assist in planning responses to potential global conflicts or carrying out more routine tasks such as providing quicker access to internal information. According to a report by Bloomberg on July 6, the U.S. Department of Defense, along with undisclosed allies, is conducting experiments involving five large language models (LLMs) in collaboration with the digital and AI office at the Pentagon.

The specific LLMs being tested have not been publicly disclosed, but AI startup Scale AI has reportedly confirmed that its “Donovan” model is among the five being used. Air Force Colonel Matthew Strohmeyer informed Bloomberg that an initial test with an LLM was “highly successful” and demonstrated remarkable speed. However, he emphasized that the technology is not currently ready for widespread use, stating that the military is still in the learning phase.

Colonel Strohmeyer described one test in which an AI model provided requested information within a mere 10 minutes, an incredibly swift response compared to the usual timeframe of days involving multiple personnel. These LLMs have already been exposed to classified operational information to generate responses pertaining to real-world scenarios. The tests aim to determine whether they can contribute to formulating a strategic response in the event of a potential escalation in the already tense military situation with China in the Indo-Pacific region.

While the tests are set to only run until July 26, the U.S. military has been studying AI’s potential capabilities in warfare for some time.

source