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The Pentagon has officially signed a contract that will eventually implement an AI-powered military planning system within the US military.
Some shit you should know before you read: With AI continuing to change the way most people live around the world, many militaries are rapidly integrating artificial intelligence into their defense strategies to enhance efficiency and decision-making. China has heavily invested in AI for its military, developing autonomous drones, AI-powered surveillance, and battlefield decision-support systems to strengthen its capabilities. Russia has tested AI-driven autonomous tanks, robotic combat systems, and cyber warfare tools, particularly in its war against Ukraine. Among US allies, Israel has already deployed AI-powered targeting systems and autonomous drones in real combat scenarios.
What’s going on now: In an announcement, the Scale AI confirmed that it has awarded a contract for the “Thunderforge” project, an initiative aimed at integrating artificial intelligence into US military planning and operations. The contract, managed by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), will bring together Scale AI, Microsoft, Google, and defense contractor Anduril to develop and deploy AI-powered decision-support tools.
Thunderforge is designed to analyze vast amounts of intelligence, sensor data, and battlefield information to support military commanders in planning, resource allocation, and mission execution. Rather than operating as an autonomous combat system, the AI will serve as a decision-support tool, providing commanders with AI-generated recommendations on troop movements, logistics, and operational strategies. Developed with Microsoft’s large language models and Scale AI’s generative AI expertise, it will assist in war-gaming scenarios, simulate potential outcomes, and refine courses of action. Anduril’s Lattice software will integrate Thunderforge into existing defense systems, enhancing military responses through AI-driven automation.
The system will be first implemented at US Indo-Pacific Command and US European Command, with plans to expand it across all 11 commands in the future.
In a statement, the CEO of Scale AI, Alexandr Wang, said, “Scale AI is honored to lead Thunderforge. Our AI solutions will transform today’s military operating process and modernize American defense. Working together with DIU, Combatant Commands, and our industry partners, we will lead the Joint Force in integrating AI into operational decision-making. DIU’s enhanced speed will provide our nation’s military leaders with the greatest technological advantage.”
