Enhancing the path for artificial intelligence at Yuma Proving Ground
As the battlefield continues to evolve globally, so does the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and that is why senior leaders from all three test centers under U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground’s (YPG) command, as well as directorate heads gathered for a two-day workshop to start the conversation of how AI can be applied, tested, and evaluated at the proving ground.
Professor Neil C. Rowe from the Naval Post Graduate school was front and center for basic introductions into AI but from there it was in the hands of those in attendance.
Break-out groups formed to spark discussion and develop strategies for getting and cleaning data when it comes to areas like preventative maintenance on vehicles to even finding anomalies in aircrafts. However, the possibilities are endless.
“We want to learn how to test and evaluate AI systems,” said Paula Rickleff, who is leading the efforts in the installation’s Employee Modernization Effort for Relevant Growth and Enrichment (EMERGE) program.
Initiated in 2019, the Army’s Future Command activated the Artificial Intelligence Task Force. A task force equipped to lead Army AI efforts and synchronize them across the Army enterprise.
The initiative covers a vast variety of programs such as but not limited to; autonomous platforms, AI and machine learning, data visualization and synthetic environments, assured position, navigation and timing, sensing, computation, human performance, and underpinning methodologies.
While the Army is committed to the design, development, and deployment of AI technologies, senior leaders, and directorate heads at YPG are hoping to evaluate it from a testing perspective.
“Let’s get some basic knowledge of AI, what that means and as we look at Army modernization how it helps shape what we do at YPG and how we can integrate AI to meet future requirements,” said
Garry Rosene, chief of development division within the Technology Investment Directorate.
From a technology investment perspective Rosene sees the need to get his team educated on how they can bolster their current technology and tackle investments in the AI sector.
“We went in thinking AI was a huge unknown,” Rosene recalled. “After coming here, it is not so bad, we have a lot to learn but I believe we can do it with the right steps ahead.”
In efforts to assist the human in making better decisions, one could take the various sources of data you want and run it though an AI model for probable solutions.
In theory it is supposed to help you make correlations that you could not do by yourself, according to Rosene. And while it is not so much robotics taking over control like in movies— AI systems have the potential ability to improve YPG’s test and evaluation process.