The Department of the Air Force is establishing an Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence to help accelerate the adoption of AI-powered capabilities across the military branch, Federal News Network reported Friday.
Air Force Chief Data and AI Officer Susan Davenport’s office and Data and AI Board members will oversee the new center, which is expected to achieve initial operating capability by the end of 2025 and full operational capability by mid-2026.
What Is the Purpose of the Air Force AI Center of Excellence?
Venice Goodwine, the Air Force’s outgoing chief information officer and a two-time Wash100 awardee, said the new center will help ensure that the development and implementation of AI tools are mission-driven and coordinated.
“We’re establishing a Department of the Air Force Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence. And the reason we’re doing that is because AI has a continuum,” Goodwine said during her keynote at a May 7 conference in Baltimore.
“Yes, I can use AI for summarizing briefs in the legal world. I can use AI for productivity, but I also can use AI for AI-enabled autonomy. So when you have a continuum that broad, how do you make sure that the use cases, the tools that you use, the investment that you’re making enable the strategic objectives? The AI Center of Excellence in the Air Force is going to do that,” she added.
Air Force spokesperson Laura McAndrews told FNN that the new center will “shorten the timeline between prototype and mission adoption by bringing together the personnel, resources and authorities to create operational efficiencies, develop policy to break down barriers and speed AI adoption, while ensuring AI capabilities support Department of Defense priorities.”
Andrews added that the center will play a role in workforce development.
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