Google to supply Pentagon with multi-purpose AI tools

Google to supply Pentagon with multi-purpose AI tools

San Francisco, July 5, 2021

To enable the U.S. – Department of Defense to pool its data in the future to enable more effective agency responses to the pandemic, Google supplied AI tools and cloud software. The previously undisclosed contract is worth $2.5 million.

The $2.5 million contract, which has not yet been made public, calls for Google to provide software to help the DoD aggregate data to better manage its COVID-19 efforts.

The details, however, look like this: Google’s partner Carahsoft will send the AI tools to the DoD’s United States Northern Command, a homeland security command and control unit. It now says the AI-based resource optimization solution will help the Pentagon deploy its personnel and medical equipment more efficiently.

Add to that a partnership with MIT Lincoln Laboratory. In this case, it’s about accessing existing data sets and algorithms, and improving their AI capabilities.

Eventually, critical information to support the DOD Covid-19 pandemic response, as well as other missions, will be integrated, fused, analyzed and disseminated.

Background: so far, Google’s deals with the Pentagon have always come under criticism. This was most recently the case with Project Maven. It was about using Ki technologies to improve military drone attacks. Some Google employees resigned on the grounds that Google should not sign any contracts that would force the company to take part in warlike actions.