To spur real defense innovation, empower CDAOs and bake tech into military career choices

To spur real defense innovation, empower CDAOs and bake tech into military career choices
To spur real defense innovation, empower CDAOs and bake tech into military career choices

Ryan Swann, a member of the Defense Innovation Board and chief data officer at Vanguard, argues in this op-ed that the Pentagon should make bureaucratic changes, but also “create environments in which DoD civilians and service members can express their innovative talents.”

Pentagon’s ‘strategic capital’ office focusing on ‘deep tech’ startups through SBIC initiative

Pentagon’s ‘strategic capital’ office focusing on ‘deep tech’ startups through SBIC initiative
Pentagon’s ‘strategic capital’ office focusing on ‘deep tech’ startups through SBIC initiative

“OSC was fundamentally established to give the Department of Defense a new tool in our current competition because today the United States… is in a global competition to be a world leader in emerging and critical technologies,” Jason Rathje, OSC director, said, noting they’ll be taking applications for investment later this year.

Defense Innovation Board to tackle Pentagon’s investment strategy, inform S&T design

Defense Innovation Board to tackle Pentagon’s investment strategy, inform S&T design
Defense Innovation Board to tackle Pentagon’s investment strategy, inform S&T design

“One of the things that was already useful … was an understanding that in order to get private capital deployed, you need clarity and some understanding about what the DoD will look like as a customer,” said board member and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman.

Bloomberg named as new head of Defense Innovation Board

Bloomberg named as new head of Defense Innovation Board
Bloomberg named as new head of Defense Innovation Board

Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor and presidential candidate, will lead the panel of tech and business experts tasked with advising Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

DoD Adopts AI Ethics Principles — But How Will They Be Enforced?

DoD Adopts AI Ethics Principles — But How Will They Be Enforced?
DoD Adopts AI Ethics Principles — But How Will They Be Enforced?

Writing regulations will take months. Convincing industry and academia to trust the military to handle AI ethically could take years.

DISA Embraces ‘Zero Trust;’ Might Stop The Next Snowden

DISA Embraces ‘Zero Trust;’ Might Stop The Next Snowden
DISA Embraces ‘Zero Trust;’ Might Stop The Next Snowden

“We met with a vendor on the West Coast — I can’t say who — and saw how they had implemented it end-to-end in their own infrastructure. They looked at (cybersecurity) holistically from the user identity, to the identity of the endpoint, to the application. I was very impressed with what they had done,” says DISA’s Steve Wallace.

Ethical AI For War? Defense Innovation Board Says It Can Be Done

Ethical AI For War? Defense Innovation Board Says It Can Be Done
Ethical AI For War? Defense Innovation Board Says It Can Be Done

The military figured out how to use nuclear power safely, the advisory panel said, and it can do the same with artificial intelligence.

Pentagon Needs Hill Help With Software Fixes, Including On F-35

Pentagon Needs Hill Help With Software Fixes, Including On F-35
Pentagon Needs Hill Help With Software Fixes, Including On F-35

Acquisition chief Ellen Lord wants a radically new way of buying software, but appropriators have to approve.

Fix It Before It Breaks: SOCOM, JAIC Pioneer Predictive Maintenance AI

Fix It Before It Breaks: SOCOM, JAIC Pioneer Predictive Maintenance AI
Fix It Before It Breaks: SOCOM, JAIC Pioneer Predictive Maintenance AI

“He said you’ve got tremendous people, you prototype pretty effectively, and you’re absolutely terrible — he had some more colorful words than that — for machine learning,” Gen. Thomas said. “It gave me a spark … and turned me into a zealot.”

DIB Calls BS On Buzzwords: Defense Innovation Board

DIB Calls BS On Buzzwords: Defense Innovation Board
DIB Calls BS On Buzzwords: Defense Innovation Board

Besides digging out ineptitude with a sharp spade, the DIB guide also offers constructive suggestions, even including 16 specific software programs to use for specific purposes, from version control to bug reports.

US Must Hustle On Hypersonics, EW, AI: VCJCS Selva & Work

US Must Hustle On Hypersonics, EW, AI: VCJCS Selva & Work
US Must Hustle On Hypersonics, EW, AI: VCJCS Selva & Work

WASHINGTON: China is besting the United States in key military technologies like hypersonic missiles and electronic warfare, Gen. Paul Selva, vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs said today. We can still catch up, he predicted. What about Artificial Intelligence? That’s too close to call, said former deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work, so we’d better get a move on. Both men…

Can The Pentagon Protect Young Innovators?

Can The Pentagon Protect Young Innovators?
Can The Pentagon Protect Young Innovators?

CRYSTAL CITY: Ash Carter created the Defense Innovation Advisory Board so the military could tap the expertise of a panel of civilian luminaries, from Google’s Eric Schmidt to pop astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. But the board is less interested in being oracular than in embracing and adopting enthusiastic young innovators. To paraphrase several participants at…

Trump Nominees Signal New Hope For Tech Innovation

Trump Nominees Signal New Hope For Tech Innovation
Trump Nominees Signal New Hope For Tech Innovation

President Donald Trump’s six latest nominees to lead the Pentagon provide some hope for those who have long been frustrated with the Defense Department’s roadblocks to procuring innovative technologies. From the Boeing executive who spent time on the company’s successful commercial side who’s been picked for Deputy Defense Secretary, to the House Armed Services aide who crafted the…

DIU(X) Funds Brain-Hacking Headset; Boston Branch Opens

DIU(X) Funds Brain-Hacking Headset; Boston Branch Opens
DIU(X) Funds Brain-Hacking Headset; Boston Branch Opens

UPDATED: Carter Touts Import Of Biotech CAMBRIDGE, MASS.: Special operations troops will test a high-tech headset that “uses noninvasive electrical stimulation” to help the brain learn better marksmanship and hand-to-hand combat skills, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said here today. This cutting edge example of “enhanced human operations” — a highly controversial field — is just…