The Air Force Bought a Surveillance-Focused AI Chatbot

· Mar 27, 2024 at 9:00 AM

The chatbot, which has entered a test phase, is designed for intelligence analysts to ask questions about aerial and surveillance imagery.

A screenshot of two ships from the AI chatbot demo. — Image: Spectronn. Collage: 404 Media.

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The U.S. Air Force paid for a test version of an AI-powered chatbot to assist in intelligence and surveillance tasks as part of a $1.2 million deal, according to internal Air Force documents obtained by 404 Media.

The news provides more insight into what military agencies are currently exploring using AI for, and comes as more AI companies eye the military space as a business opportunity. OpenAI, for instance, quietly removed language that expressly prohibited its technology for military purposes in January.

“Edge Al Platform for Space and Unmanned Aerial Imagery Intelligence,” a section of one of the documents reads. The contract is between the Air Force and a company called Misram LLC, which also operates under the name Spectronn.