Without a doubt, AI is the hot topic of 2023. The federal government has been quick to take a closer look at AI, whether that’s the consideration of regulations by Congress, or agencies looking at how to streamline mission delivery with this transformational technology.

One of the agencies leading the way in exploring how AI can be used to drive mission success is the Department of Defense and the top brass is eager to learn more. To help the Department of Defense build its knowledge base about AI and bypass the hype cycle and create meaningful use cases and applications, Defense Strategies Institute, is bringing together industry and agency experts for two days of intensive learning in September.

In the run up to the conference we thought we’d share some insights from a Senior Program Manager at the Defense Strategies Institute who is involved in the planning and delivery of the conference. Read on to learn more about AI, how the DoD is considering using AI, and the event itself.

Government Technology Insider (GTI): What are some of the benefits that AI will bring to the DoD? 

Defense Strategies Institute (DSI): AI is a transformational technology that is revolutionizing how the Department of Defense (DoD) trains, prepares for, and will fight in, future conflict. AI’s applications for DoD operations have the potential to improve decision making, situational awareness, threat detection and tracking, autonomous systems, predictive maintenance, cybersecurity, training and simulation, language translation, supply chain and logistics, health and safety of warfighters and civilians, and so much more. Importantly, AI’s ability to analyze and process vast amounts of data at speed and scale will deliver information and decision superiority across the Department, from boardroom to battlefield.

GTI: What about some of the challenges? 

DSI: The adoption and integration of AI across the Department of Defense faces many challenges, especially when examining the ethics, safety, and trust of the emerging technology. The Department of Defense and the U.S. federal government are committed to adopting AI in a responsible and lawful manner and to ensure its continued use and deployment is ethical, safe, and trustworthy. Pioneers and leading voices across the AI community have recently expressed concerns around the rapid advancements of the technology, highlighting the need for policies and guardrails to be put into place to ensure the technology is developed and integrated into society in a way that maximizes its benefits.

GTI: What can attendees expect to learn at this year’s summit? 

DSI: The 2023 AI for Defense Summit will provide a town-hall style forum to discuss how the integration of innovative, cutting-edge AI technologies is enhancing the warfighter’s situational awareness, information advantage, combat power, connectivity, and overall digital capacity at the strategic and tactical edge. Sessions at this year’s Summit can explore AI’s applications for autonomous weapon systems, predictive analytics, cybersecurity, logistics and supply chain management, simulation and training, and intelligent chatbots and natural language processing. In addition, this year’s Summit will focusing on deepening the understanding of the policy, technology, and ethical challenges and opportunities presented by AI. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to network with, learn from, and ask questions to experts and senior leaders from across the artificial intelligence community.

GTI: Can you share any highlights or things you’re especially looking forward to? 

DSI: This year’s event features many new and innovative sessions, including a fireside chat on the role of venture capitalism in advancing AI’s capabilities for defense applications as well as a panel on the advancements being made in the game-changing field of generative AI. Other highlights of the event include a Keynote session from the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office’s (CDAO) Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Bill Streilein, who will provide insights into how CDAO is leading AI’s development and adoption across the Department of Defense.

Join us at this year’s AI for Defense Summit to stay ahead of the technology curve, share your own insights, and contribute to the discussion on the future of artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance defense capabilities and national security.