Pentagon rolls out major reforms of R&D, AI
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth consolidates tech offices under Pentagon CTO Emil Michael, launches new AI initiatives from swarms to sims to GenAI, and breaks up the sprawling Advana database.
Pentagon rolls out GenAI platform to all personnel, using Google’s Gemini
Other “frontier AI capabilities” will join Gemini on the new GenAi.mil platform, meant to make generative AI tools available to all three million military and civilian personnel, the Department of Defense announced.
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How TAK gives the US military an advantage at the Edge
“Tactical operating system” for warfighters has evolved to provide more situational awareness of the battlefield.
China threat still drives Pentagon R&E despite counternarcotics focus: Emil Michael
While the National Security Strategy has a strong focus on the Western Hemisphere, the undersecretary for research and engineering said, "I am focused much more on other parts of the world.”
‘It’s alive’: Biden-era Replicator drone initiative lives on as DAWG, looking at bigger UASs
Renamed the Defense Autonomous Working Group, the drone initiative is now conducting wargames and working on larger, longer-ranged attack drones, Adm. Sam Paparo and Pentagon CTO Emil Michael said.
From lasers to logistics: Pentagon CTO announces top six tech priorities
Under Secretary for Research & Engineering Emil Michael pruned a sprawling list of “critical technology areas” down from 14 to just six: AI, quantum, biomanufacturing, contested logistics, directed energy (lasers, microwave weapons, et al), and hypersonics. His aim: “deliver capabilities” in three years or less.
DoD R&E chief says Pentagon will trim ‘critical technology’ list
"The idea is to concentrate back to a number that we really believe is critical," Emil Michael said.
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Keeping sensitive information safe in a new AI era
Why edge and endpoint security can’t be an afterthought.
‘Top Gun’ for drones: Pentagon plans August exercise with FPV drone units
“At this next T-REX [Technology Readiness Experimentation exercise], we’ll be starting to host TOPGUN school,” said prototyping & experimentation director Alex Lovett. “We’re going to be playing Red versus Blue, their best [offense] coming after our best defense.”
Emil Michael, former Uber exec, confirmed as undersecretary for research and engineering
In written testimony from March, Michael indicated he would look to review the structure of the R&E office, while pushing to shift a culture he described as “overly risk adverse.”
‘SignalGate’ scandal prompts questions on classified disclosures during SECAF, acquisition czar hearing
“I’m not aware of any Signal chats that contain sensitive information,” said Michael Duffey, the nominee for the Pentagon's top acquisition job, and currently Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's deputy chief of staff.
Trump names picks for top Pentagon posts, with financier as No. 2
Trump taps billionaire investor Stephen Feinberg as the Pentagon deputy and Elbridge Colby, an outspoken former DoD official, for the head of policy.
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Data overload threatens decisionmakers as autonomy expands
Reducing cognitive overload on warfighters while improving “time to trust” for autonomous systems is a matter of design.