Pentagon boosts spending on AI projects by 50%

Pentagon boosts spending on AI projects by 50%

Washington, 6/10/2021

The U.S. Department of Defense plans to allocate $874 million in the upcoming federal budget to fund more than 600 AI projects – a 50 percent increase over the current budget year. The funds, earmarked specifically for AI, are intended to support the rapidly growing importance of AI in all areas of the department, according to the Pentagon. The proposal is included in the budget for fiscal year 2022, which begins Oct. 1.

The growing importance of AI comes in the wake of a report released months ago by the U.S. National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence. In it, experts argue that the U.S. is not adequately prepared for the new age and therefore risks falling behind China.

The report emphasizes the need for the U.S. to develop and produce AI-enabled weapons. Commission Chairman Eric Schmidt, calls for the U.S. to increase its R&D budget for AI development from $1.5 billion now to $2 billion in 2022, and then double it each year through 2026.