David Norquist, the White House’s nominee for deputy defense secretary and 2019 Wash100 Award winner, said he wants the Department of Defense to advance its use of artificial intelligence, data analytics and other emerging technologies to implement the 2018 National Defense Strategy, Defense News reported Wednesday. Norquist, who serves as DoD comptroller, told the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing Wednesday about the potential benefits of AI.
“Artificial Intelligence is different because the potential benefits are less clear; you know what you’re going to get with a hypersonic missile,†he said. “But artificial intelligence has the potential to change a lot about how we use [unmanned aerial vehicles] and other items. That puts an emphasis on analytical skills, researching and prototyping.”
He noted that he wants the Pentagon to push for more AI-related projects with the private sector and cited the administration’s request for a $32B increase in research-and-development funds.
