Image by Wiyre Media, from Flickr
Pentagon Taps AI for Military Planning With Thunderforge Project
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded a contract to Scale AI to develop Thunderforge , an AI project intended to support military planning and decision-making.
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- Thunderforge aims to modernize military decision-making using AI-driven analysis and automation.
- Initial rollout includes INDOPACOM and EUCOM, with expansion planned for all commands.
- Scale AI partners with Anduril and Microsoft to develop AI-powered military planning tools.
Led by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), the initiative aims to enhance operational and strategic analysis through AI-driven simulations and recommendations.
Thunderforge is designed to improve planning efficiency by addressing what DIU’s project leader Bryce Goodman describes as a gap between the speed of contemporary conflicts and traditional military decision-making.
“Today’s military planning processes rely on decades-old technology and methodologies,” Goodman said, according to the DIU blog . “Thunderforge allows decision-makers to operate at the pace required for emerging conflicts,” he added.
The system will initially be deployed within U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) and U.S. European Command (EUCOM), with plans for broader implementation across all 11 combatant commands.
Thunderforge’s AI tools will assist in mission planning, resource allocation, and strategic analysis, using large language models (LLMs) and simulations to refine recommendations. Despite AI integration, the DIU blog claims that the military commanders will retain ultimate decision-making authority.
Scale AI will oversee the project in collaboration with Anduril, Microsoft, and other technology firms. Anduril’s Lattice software and Microsoft’s LLMs will be integrated into the system, while Scale AI will contribute expertise in generative AI and automated decision-support tools.
“Our AI solutions will transform today’s military operating process and modernize American defense,” said Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang, as reported by The Register.
The initiative has raised concerns regarding AI reliability and ethical implications in military applications. The Register reports that critics emphasize the need for safeguards to prevent unintended consequences in high-stakes scenarios.
DIU has emphasized that Thunderforge is designed with mechanisms for transparency, allowing users to trace AI decision-making processes and assess confidence levels. “Accuracy and reliability are core design principles, and maintaining human oversight is critical,” a DIU spokesperson said, as reported by The Register.
The use of AI in defense remains a topic of debate. Companies such as Google and Microsoft have previously faced employee opposition to military contracts involving AI, with some questioning the role of AI in warfare and surveillance, as noted by The Register.
However, defense officials argue that AI adoption is necessary to maintain a strategic advantage, particularly as other nations invest in similar technologies.
Dan Tadross, Scale AI’s head of federal delivery and a former Marine, underscored the need for modernization. “The planning and operational process for the U.S. military has not evolved since Napoleon,” he said, as reported by The Washington Post .
“After years of theorizing that AI could help military planning, the technology is now at the point where it can actually be helpful,” he added.
Photo by Amanda Vick on Unsplash
Google Enhances Shopping Experience with AI-Powered Fashion Idea Generator
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
Google announced new AI features for Google Shopping—a platform designed to compare products and help users make a purchase decision—this Wednesday. Gemini will enhance features such as “vision match” for fashion products, AR beauty to help shoppers envision how products will look on them, and virtual try-ons to visualize garment combinations.
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- Google Shopping introduces AI-powered features like vision match, AR beauty, and virtual try-on to enhance online shopping.
- The new vision match tool lets users describe an outfit, and AI suggests real products available in stores.
- Google expands virtual try-ons to dresses, pants, and skirts, using AI to showcase outfits on diverse body types.
According to the official announcement , users make more than 1 billion purchases through Google every day. The tech giant is now releasing, in the United States, new AI-powered features—a few of them previously tested on the Google Labs experiment program—to help users with new and enhanced shopping experiences.
Starting this week, mobile users can try Google’s “vision match” feature, where they describe to Gemini the outfit or product they are looking for and the AI tools suggest real-life products available in the market. The feature will be available on the Shopping tab and on the regular search.
“Vision match lets you describe any garment you have in mind and then uses AI image generation to show you a few ideas of what it could look like and similar shoppable products,” wrote Lilian Rincon, Vice President of Product for Google Shopping.
Users are encouraged to provide as many details as they can and to try the prompt feature to get ideas and suggestions on the next purchase.
The Tech giant has also enhanced its AR beauty feature, including popular makeup products among celebrities, influencers, and current trends, as well as specific styles and looks to help shoppers see how the products would look on them.
Want to reach your customers where they are? See how Google and YouTube Ads, powered by Google AI, help businesses connect with people where they’re streaming, searching, scrolling, and shopping! Watch now 👉 https://t.co/oDHvRt8Hzn pic.twitter.com/SyYk5gegCs — Think with Google (@ThinkwithGoogle) March 6, 2025
The virtual try-on feature has expanded, it now features dresses, pants, and skirts from multiple brands in multiple sizes and considering different models as reference.
“You can see what the garment looks like on a diverse set of real models ranging from XXS-XXL,” added Rincon. “To improve length accuracy and brand styling, we’ve updated our Machine Learning models to generate the full look from the matching top all the way to the shoes the model is wearing.”
In October, Google added personalized AI tools and experimental features to its shopping platform, encouraging shoppers to interact and provide feedback. The tech giant seems to be getting ahead of the changes AI has been generating in shopping experiences and the e-commerce and retail industries.
