The Department of the Air Force-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Artificial Intelligence Accelerator has allowed two members of the Marine Corps to participate in the Phantom Program for the first time.
The Air Force said Tuesday the decision to include the active-duty Marines to the program coincides with efforts to tackle innovation needs and enhance AI capabilities of the DAF and the Department of Defense in general.
The DAF-MIT AI Accelerator was limited to DAF personnel, particularly to airmen and guardians, prior to the move. With their participation in the five-month long program, the Marine Phantoms will be able to exchange ideas, perspectives and expertise with AI researchers.
Participants in the AIA program will be conducting extensive AI research, rapid prototyping of AI algorithms, and scaling applications for real-world use. They are also required to publish an impact paper, which should further help in the development of military AI research.
USMC deputy commandant for information Lt. Gen. Matthew Glavy, highlighting the Marines’ tradition of being innovators, said, “AI presents yet another opportunity for Marines to showcase their ability to fuse technology, people and processes to generate favorable outcomes across the competition continuum.”
According to Glavy, collaborating with the DAF-MIT AI Accelerator gives the Marine Corps an opportunity to “rapidly upskill” and develop ways of using AI to a better “decision advantage for commanders at all echelons.”
Col. Garry Floyd, director of the MIT-AI Accelerator, said the Marines’ unique perspective to military operations “can only enrich the AIA’s own diversity of experience.”
“Given the broad nature of the AIA’s portfolio we are certain to find synergies across our efforts to develop and deploy difference making capabilities for operations,” stressed Floyd.
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