A U.S. Air Force technology team has introduced new artificial intelligence assistants to help train airmen during their virtual reality-enabled fundamentals training course.
Trainees under the Crew Chief Fundamentals Course can ask questions to and receive instructions from a so-called AI Airman about various basic topics, the Air Force said Monday.
Aside from interacting with real airmen, the AI system could continuously measure the trainees' competencies and monitor their performance throughout their Air Force careers beyond the course.
The change by the Tech Training Transformation team is part of an Air Force effort to take the focus of instructions to students away from instructors.
"We’re no longer making you fit our content, we’re changing our content to match your needs," said T3 Commander Maj. Jesse Johnson. "Not only does this program give more resources to students, it also keeps up with a new generation of learners who perform best outside of a traditional classroom."
The Air Force is planning to launch the Crew Chief Fundamentals Course at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas in 2022. The service also looks at adapting the AI system for use in personalized training through smartphones.
