Designing a New Narrative to Build an AI-Ready Workforce
Abstract
The Department of Defense (DoD) is struggling to keep pace with technological acceleration in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). The DoD realizes that significant changes must occur for the military to sustain overmatch (advantage in combat capabilities over potential opponents) in this era of Great Power Competition, but the Department lacks enough of the in-house AI skills and the ability to attract and retain the talent it needs to compete in the future. Those AI skills primarily lie in the component of private industry that falls outside the traditional defense-industrial base. Unfortunately, the DoD and these companies have a mixed history in terms of establishing productive partnership, in part due to organizational speed and bureaucratic requirements, differing primary objectives, and cultural differences. While flawed practices have often reinforced skepticism in commercial technology communities about DoDs motives, the information and communications technology industry shares responsibility for the damaged relationship between the DoD and industry. In order to strengthen the bridge to industry, the DoD has taken positive steps, including periodic visits, summits, hackathons, partnerships, and successful one-off projects. However, to establish an ongoing, trusted, mutually beneficial, and more open relationship, the DoD must take two actions: 1) Change its narrative when reaching out to private industry and its employees emphasizing the mutual benefits of partnership and how values and objectives align, and carefully targeting those messages where they might be most effective; and 2) make internal changes in the way the DoD integrates the potential new workforce into its organization.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1125142
Entities
People
- Dean Worley
- Diane Kotras
- Inna Baron
- Jonathan Rotner
- Ron Hodge
Organizations
- MITRE Corporation