{"id":30493,"date":"2020-02-25T15:54:26","date_gmt":"2020-02-25T15:54:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/02\/25\/the-pentagon-promises-to-use-artificial-intelligence-for-good-not-evil\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T06:37:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T06:37:50","slug":"the-pentagon-promises-to-use-artificial-intelligence-for-good-not-evil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/02\/25\/the-pentagon-promises-to-use-artificial-intelligence-for-good-not-evil\/","title":{"rendered":"The Pentagon promises to use artificial intelligence for good, not evil"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The military has its eye on artificial intelligence solutions<\/a> to everything from data analysis to surveillance, maintenance<\/a> and medical care, but before the Defense Department moves full steam ahead into an AI future, they\u2019re laying out some ethical principles to live by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defense Secretary Mark Esper signed off on five guidelines in a memo released Monday,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe United States, together with our allies and partners, must accelerate the adoption of AI and lead in its national security applications to maintain our strategic position, prevail on future battlefields, and safeguard the rules-based international order,\u201d said Esper wrote. \u201cAI technology will change much about the battlefield of the future, but nothing will change America\u2019s steadfast commitment to responsible and lawful behavior.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The list is the result of a 15-month study by the Defense Innovation Board<\/a>, which is made up of academics and executives in tech and business, who presented their proposed principles in a public forum at Georgetown University in October<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Esper\u2019s Monday memo, the Pentagon pledges that its AI efforts will be: 1) Responsible, 2) Equitable, 3) Traceable, 4) Reliable and 5) Governable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In short, any technology\u2019s development and operation should be carefully developed and used, have safeguards against bias in data analysis, be auditable to find the sources of mistakes and correct them, have narrowly-defined parameters for use and have back-up plans for shut down in case something goes wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe owe it to the American people and our men and women in uniform to adopt AI principles that reflect our nation\u2019s values of a free and open society,\u201d Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan, head of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, told reporters Monday. \u201cThis runs in stark contrast to Russia and China, whose use of AI tech for military purposes raises serious concern about human rights, ethics and international norms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

China, for example, has used its facial recognition AI technology to surveil <\/a>its citizens\u2019 public activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI do not believe \u2026 that China or Russia are having any sort of conversation like we\u2019re having today,\u201d Shanahan said, taking questions from the press in a public broadcast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The White House is scheduled to release its own set of principles this summer, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur intentions are clear: We will do what it takes to ensure that the U.S. military lives up to our nation\u2019s ethical values while maintaining and strengthening America\u2019s technological advantage,\u201d Shanahan said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DoD is at the \u201cground floor” of its AI journey, according to Shanahan, so there are few concrete examples of AI technology that will be subject to these principles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The JAIC, his organization, has been working developing a tool for UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter maintenance, he said, as well as some cyber defense technology and solutions to make military health care more efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\t