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Pentagon Harnesses AI For Military Operations
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is harnessing artificial intelligence to streamline military operations, particularly in threat identification, planning, and strategy execution, as revealed by TechCrunch .
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- The Pentagon uses AI to streamline threat identification, planning, and decision-making.
- Generative AI accelerates the military’s “kill chain” without acting autonomously in lethal actions.
- OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta partner with defense agencies.
According to Dr. Radha Plumb, the Pentagon’s Chief Digital and AI Officer, AI tools are enhancing decision-making processes while ensuring human oversight remains central to lethal actions, as reported by TechCrunch.
TechCrunch explains how generative AI tools, such as those developed by Meta and Anthropic, have been integrated into the Pentagon’s operations. These technologies are not being used directly as weapons but are central in the planning and strategizing phases.
According to Dr. Radha Plumb, the Pentagon’s Chief Digital and AI Officer, AI accelerates the execution of the kill chain by assisting commanders in responding more swiftly to threats.
“It allows you to take advantage of the full range of tools our commanders have available, but also think creatively about different response options and potential trade offs in an environment where there’s a potential threat, or series of threats, that need to be prosecuted,” she explained, as reported TechCrunch.
The Pentagon’s collaboration with AI companies is relatively new, marked by a shift in policy by leading developers such as OpenAI, Meta, and Anthropic. These companies, which had initially restricted the use of their AI models in military contexts, relaxed their policies in 2024 to allow U.S. defense agencies to deploy these tools, as noted by TechCrunch.
According to TechCrunch, the Pentagon’s use of AI focuses on human-machine collaboration rather than full automation, ensuring ethical and reliable operations.
Plumb emphasized, “As a matter of both reliability and ethics, we’ll always have humans involved in the decision to employ force, and that includes for our weapon systems,” reported TechCrunch.
While critics raise concerns about potential misuse of AI in military applications, some argue engagement with defense agencies is essential to mitigate risks and maintain oversight.
Despite apprehensions, AI integration in the military appears poised to grow, especially in areas like logistics, intelligence analysis, and threat response. For now, the Pentagon maintains its commitment to human oversight, reinforcing that its AI systems are designed to augment decision-making rather than replace it, reports TechCrunch.
The ethical debate over AI’s role in defense continues to unfold, with advocates and critics weighing its potential risks and benefits.
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AI-Powered Geolocation Tool Faces Backlash Over Stalking Risks
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
GeoSpy, an AI-driven photo geolocation tool developed by Boston-based Graylark Technologies, has drawn scrutiny for its capacity to identify photo locations in seconds.
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- GeoSpy can geolocate photos using visual features like soil and architecture.
- The AI tool was initially public but is now limited to law enforcement.
- Concerns arose over misuse, including stalking and privacy violations.
Developed by Boston-based Graylark Technologies, GeoSpy is marketed to law enforcement and government agencies but has also sparked concerns about potential misuse, as reported in the investigation by 404 Media .
GeoSpy leverages millions of images to identify geographic markers such as vegetation types, architectural styles, and spatial relationships. Initially available to the public, it became popular on platforms like YouTube, where users tested its capabilities, as noted by 404Media.
404 Media explains that while some used it for legitimate purposes like fraud detection or law enforcement, others raised ethical concerns by attempting to track individuals, leading to accusations of facilitating stalking.
The founder of Graylark Technologies, Daniel Heinen, acknowledged to 404 Media the risks in a Discord server where GeoSpy users discuss the tool. When questionable requests surfaced, such as locating individuals or private residences, Heinen and other users firmly rejected them.
Concerns escalated when 404 Media conducted tests with GeoSpy. The tool accurately pinpointed locations, such as identifying San Francisco from subtle street details and narrowing down a Mexico City protest to within blocks.
However, inaccuracies also surfaced, like misplacing a photo from the Los Angeles fires. After 404 Media contacted Heinen, the free public version of GeoSpy was taken offline, restricting access to law enforcement and enterprise clients.
Critics warn that tools like GeoSpy could erode privacy and lead to unintended consequences. Cooper Quintin of the Electronic Frontier Foundation highlighted the risks of over-reliance on AI geolocation, including wrongful arrests and privacy violations.
“It’s one thing if police are using this against a photo that is a piece of evidence in an investigation of a serious crime. It’s totally different to use it en masse to build a geolocation database or to gather intelligence on people not engaged in suspected criminal activity,” he cautioned, as reported by 404 Media.
“And if the results from Geospy are inaccurate I’m concerned this could lead to wasted time for law enforcement, fear and confusion for civilians, and wrongful arrests based on faulty information,” he added.
GeoSpy’s private version for law enforcement reportedly has enhanced capabilities. Heinen has hinted at its potential applications, including military uses like tracking tank movements. 404 Media also notes that GeoSpy also received investments from RecordedFuture, a threat intelligence company, and AI Grant, a startup incubator.
