According to a recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to the Senate Committee on Armed Services, there is a need for the Department of Defense (DoD) to issue department-wide guidance on the acquisition of artificial intelligence (AI). The 44-page report, released last month, reveals that the department has been increasingly pursuing advanced AI capabilities. However, the GAO highlights that the DoD has historically faced challenges in acquiring software for weapon systems and that AI acquisitions pose additional challenges. To determine key factors for successful acquisition of AI capabilities, the GAO analyzed information from 13 private sector companies and considered factors such as the appropriateness of AI, making a business case, tailoring contracting approaches, testing and evaluating proposed solutions, and forecasting valuable AI capabilities.
The report also analyzed Defense documentation, compared it with the identified key factors, and conducted interviews with officials. Based on these findings, the GAO made four recommendations for the DoD and the military departments (Army, Navy, and Air Force) to develop guidance on AI acquisitions. The GAO states that the DoD has concurred with these recommendations.
The report notes that although various entities within the DoD are acquiring, developing, or already using AI, there is currently no department-wide guidance on how its components should approach AI acquisition. While the DoD is in the planning process to develop such guidance, it lacks defined plans and timelines. Additionally, the military services also lack specific guidance on AI acquisitions, although officials have expressed the need for such guidance to navigate the process.
The GAO emphasizes that without department-wide and tailored service-level guidance, the DoD missed an opportunity to consistently acquire AI capabilities while accounting for the unique challenges associated with AI.
One possible application of AI within the department is the identification of potential threats or targets on the battlefield.
Overall, the report underscores the importance of establishing clear, comprehensive guidance for AI acquisitions in order for the DoD to effectively leverage AI capabilities.
[Image: GAO building]
[Image Source: Getty Images]
[Image: Pentagon building]
[Image Source: Getty Images]
[Image: Secretary Lloyd Austin]
[Image Source: Getty Images]
[Author Bio: Julia Musto is a reporter for Fox News and Fox Business Digital.]
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