The United States Air Force and Artificial Intelligence: Moving Forward by Learning from Past Technology Implementation

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has reemerged as a buzzword across the world in recent years. The potential benefits from AI span across society, from finance to medical care, and agriculture to transportation. One of the most potentially significant areas of AI implementation is in the worlds militaries. There are incredible benefits for those forces who can adopt AI and the significant risks for those forces who fail to adapt. This paper examines historical examples that may inform how the Unites States Air Force (USAF) may best adopt AI. This paper examines the historical roots of radar development through World War II and the advent of stealth technology through the F117A as well as examines studies on how the Department of Defense has adopted commercialofftheshelf technology and software in the past. The paper then examines areas of symmetry between these past technologies and AI to determine effective technology adoption methods. Finally, this paper offers several functional recommendations to ensure the effective and efficient adoption of AI in the future.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 2020
Accession Number
AD1112360

Entities

People

  • John P. Jr Wagemann

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Cyber
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Acquisition
  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Aircrafts
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cognition
  • Congress
  • Defense Systems
  • Department Of Defense
  • Disruptive Technology
  • Employment
  • Engineering
  • Image Recognition
  • Military Equipment
  • National Security
  • Scientific Research
  • Second World War
  • Security
  • Software Development
  • Standards
  • Stealth Technology
  • United States
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Aerospace logistics and air mobility.
  • Agent-Based Social Robotics and Mobile-Assisted Learning in Virtual Environments.
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies

Technology Areas

  • AI & ML
  • AI & ML - DoD AI Strategy