Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.

Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.

Contributing Editor, Breaking Defense

Sydney J. Freedberg Jr. has written for Breaking Defense since 2011 and served as deputy editor for the site's first decade, covering technology, strategy, and policy with a particular focus on the US Army. He’s now a contributing editor focused on cyber, robotics, AI, and other critical technologies and policies that will shape the future of warfare. Sydney began covering defense at National Journal magazine in 1997 and holds degrees from Harvard, Cambridge, and Georgetown.

Stories by Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.

New strategy will streamline DoD support for defense contractors’ cybersecurity

New strategy will streamline DoD support for defense contractors’ cybersecurity
New strategy will streamline DoD support for defense contractors’ cybersecurity

“We were very disjointed” in efforts to support contractors, admitted Pentagon CISO Dave McKeown. “We want to make that more streamlined.”

US joins Austria, Bahrain, Canada, & Portugal to co-lead global push for safer military AI

US joins Austria, Bahrain, Canada, & Portugal to co-lead global push for safer military AI
US joins Austria, Bahrain, Canada, & Portugal to co-lead global push for safer military AI

Two US officials exclusively tell Breaking Defense the details of new international “working groups” that are the next step in Washington’s campaign for ethical and safety standards for military AI and automation – without prohibiting their use entirely.

Pentagon tested generative AI to draft supply plans in latest GIDE 9 wargame

Pentagon tested generative AI to draft supply plans in latest GIDE 9 wargame
Pentagon tested generative AI to draft supply plans in latest GIDE 9 wargame

“For certain use cases, it’s proving to have a lot of value,” said Col. Matt “Nomad” Strohmeyer. “It’s not this panacea, but it’s also not this Pandora’s box of evil. It’s somewhere in between.”

Small victories: Army Applications Lab issues first progress report

Small victories: Army Applications Lab issues first progress report
Small victories: Army Applications Lab issues first progress report

45 percent of AAL’s completed projects have “transitioned” into regular DoD programs, but AAL admits others “end up in the valley of death due to factors external to the project, even if the project meets all milestones and the technology solves the military problem.”

Avoiding accidental armageddon: Report urges new safety rules for unmanned systems

Avoiding accidental armageddon: Report urges new safety rules for unmanned systems
Avoiding accidental armageddon: Report urges new safety rules for unmanned systems

Even if China doesn’t agree to or abide by new “confidence-building measures,” CNAS scholar Tom Shugart says, the US and its allies should adopt them unilaterally to reduce the risk of accidents or worse in the West Pacific.

‘Useful’ or ‘dangerous’: Pentagon ‘maturity model’ for generative AI coming in June

‘Useful’ or ‘dangerous’: Pentagon ‘maturity model’ for generative AI coming in June
‘Useful’ or ‘dangerous’: Pentagon ‘maturity model’ for generative AI coming in June

With AI hype outrunning reality, DoD AI chief Craig Martell told lawmakers his office is “building what we’re calling a maturity model” to assess what generative AI really can and cannot do.

DARPA’s OPTIMA program seeks ultra-efficient AI chips

DARPA’s OPTIMA program seeks ultra-efficient AI chips
DARPA’s OPTIMA program seeks ultra-efficient AI chips

Because it needs much less electricity per computation than current chips, the new hardware could take AI out of big data centers and onto drones, robots, and other small platforms at the “tactical edge.”

40-plus countries convening next week to thrash out ‘responsible AI’ for military use

40-plus countries convening next week to thrash out ‘responsible AI’ for military use
40-plus countries convening next week to thrash out ‘responsible AI’ for military use

The US government hopes this will be the first of many annual meetings of the countries that signed on to the US “Political Declaration” on military AI last year, sharing model policies and best practices on everything from combat robots to back-office algorithms.

Radha Plumb named new Pentagon CDAO as Martell exits in April

Radha Plumb named new Pentagon CDAO as Martell exits in April
Radha Plumb named new Pentagon CDAO as Martell exits in April

Plumb, the current deputy under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, has held high-powered jobs from Google to the National Security Council.

‘I’m disappointed’: Pentagon CIO cybersecurity chief asks industry, where’s my AI?

‘I’m disappointed’: Pentagon CIO cybersecurity chief asks industry, where’s my AI?
‘I’m disappointed’: Pentagon CIO cybersecurity chief asks industry, where’s my AI?

“I love AI. I want lots of AI,” Dave McKeown told Breaking Defense. But, so far, neither government nor industry has developed artificial intelligence that can really help with cybersecurity.

Shyu: Budget gridlock hamstrings Pentagon’s tech fast-track programs like RDER, APFIT

Shyu: Budget gridlock hamstrings Pentagon’s tech fast-track programs like RDER, APFIT
Shyu: Budget gridlock hamstrings Pentagon’s tech fast-track programs like RDER, APFIT

“On an annual basis, we have a CR, half the year’s gone,” the undersecretary for Research & Engineering said. “Our adversary doesn’t have the same constraints.”

New Air Force Vice Chief has ‘passion’ for better data, wants industry help

New Air Force Vice Chief has ‘passion’ for better data, wants industry help
New Air Force Vice Chief has ‘passion’ for better data, wants industry help

Recently confirmed Gen. Jim Slife pledged to work on sharing data not only inside the Air Force but with his counterparts at the other armed services.

How GIDE grows: AI battle network experiments are expanding to Army, allies and industry

How GIDE grows: AI battle network experiments are expanding to Army, allies and industry
How GIDE grows: AI battle network experiments are expanding to Army, allies and industry

2023’s Global Information Dominance Experiments were a race to field a “minimum viable” version of CJADC2. The 2024 GIDEs will open up to more input from the services, the Five Eyes allies, and a wide range of contractors.

Brute force: Russia ‘doubled down’ on often-crude disinformation in 2023, says report

Brute force: Russia ‘doubled down’ on often-crude disinformation in 2023, says report
Brute force: Russia ‘doubled down’ on often-crude disinformation in 2023, says report

With official outlets like RT and Sputnik kicked out of many Western countries, Moscow now emphasizes social media — exploiting TikTok, X, and the explosion in generative AI, according to a new report.

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