Pentagon Grapples to Combat Cheaper, Stronger AI Weapons

WASHINGTON D.C. – The Pentagon’s prolonged and costly weapons acquisition programs now finds itself grappling with a different problem: countering weapons and systems that are inexpensive yet highly effective. The rise of autonomous unmanned artificial intelligence (AI) weaponry has raised concerns about neutralizing conventional warfare tools.

Recent conflicts, such as the ongoing war in Ukraine, have demonstrated the power of low-cost technology in combating sophisticated military equipment. In response to the emerging threat, the Government Accountability Office has published a need statement calling on the industry to develop innovative weapons to address the growing menace of autonomous, AI-driven tools.

The need statement highlights the expanding threat posed by unmanned systems in various domains. Adversarial nations and non-state actors are rapidly incorporating robust remote-controlled capabilities, including aerial, ground, subterranean, sea, and undersea domains. The shift towards truly autonomous weapons and effective jamming techniques poses additional challenges to the status quo.

Pentagon stakeholders are planning a meeting with industry representatives this month to discuss proposed solutions and chart a path forward in the development of counter-unmanned systems. The need statement highlights the importance of leveraging novel sensors, autonomous defensive technologies, and passive defeat capabilities to track, neutralize, and exploit vulnerabilities in remotely-controlled arsenals.