Project Maven Explained

Project Maven is a Pentagon project involving using machine learning and engineering talent to distinguish people and objects in drone videos,[1] apparently giving the government real-time battlefield command and control, and the ability to track, tag and spy on targets without human involvement. Initially the effort was led by Robert O. Work who was concerned about China's military use of the emerging technology.[2] Reportedly, Pentagon development stops short of acting as an AI weapons system capable of firing on self-designated targets.[3] The project was established in a memo by the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense on 26 April 2017.[4] Also known as the Algorithmic Warfare Cross Functional Team,[5] it is, according to Lt. Gen. of the United States Air Force Jack Shanahan in November 2017, a project "designed to be that pilot project, that pathfinder, that spark that kindles the flame front of artificial intelligence across the rest of the [Defense] Department".[6] Its chief, U.S. Marine Corps Col. Drew Cukor, said: "People and computers will work symbiotically to increase the ability of weapon systems to detect objects."[7] Project Maven has been noted by allies, such as Australia's Ian Langford, for the ability to identify adversaries by harvesting data from sensors on UAVs and satellite.[8] At the second Defense One Tech Summit in July 2017, Cukor also said that the investment in a "deliberate workflow process" was funded by the Department [of Defense] through its "rapid acquisition authorities" for about "the next 36 months".[9]

In 2022, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency took over Project Maven.[10]

References

  1. News: 2 June 2018 . Google 'to end' Pentagon Artificial Intelligence project . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180602234829/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-44341490 . 2 June 2018 . 3 June 2018 . BBC News.
  2. Cade Metz. (15 March 2018). "Pentagon Wants Silicon Valley's Help on A.I.". NY Times website Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  3. Web site: 11 December 2020 . Report: Palantir took over Project Maven, the military AI program too unethical for Google . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200124074738/https://thenextweb.com/artificial-intelligence/2019/12/11/report-palantir-took-over-project-maven-the-military-ai-program-too-unethical-for-google/ . 24 January 2020 . 17 January 2020 . The Next Web.
  4. Web site: Robert O. Work . Robert O. Work . 26 April 2017 . Establishment of an Algorithmic Warfare Cross-Functional Team (Project Maven) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180421154751/https://www.govexec.com/media/gbc/docs/pdfs_edit/establishment_of_the_awcft_project_maven.pdf . 21 April 2018 . 3 June 2018.
  5. News: 14 May 2018 . Google employees resign in protest against Air Force's Project Maven . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180715010951/https://www.fedscoop.com/google-employees-resign-project-maven/ . 15 July 2018 . 3 June 2018 . Fedscoop.
  6. Allen . Gregory C. . 21 December 2017 . Project Maven brings AI to the fight against ISIS . dead . . https://web.archive.org/web/20180604115846/https://thebulletin.org/project-maven-brings-ai-fight-against-isis11374 . 4 June 2018 . 3 June 2018.
  7. Web site: Ethan Baron . 3 June 2018 . Google Backs Off from Pentagon Project After Uproar: Report . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180714222415/https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/06/03/google-backs-pentagon-project-after-uproar-report.html . 14 July 2018 . 3 June 2018 . . Mercury.com.
  8. Skinner . Dan . 29 January 2020 . Signature Management in Accelerated Warfare Close Combat in the 21st Century . live . The Cove . https://web.archive.org/web/20230715060746/https://cove.army.gov.au/article/signature-management-accelerated-warfare-close-combat-21st-century . 15 July 2023 . 15 July 2023.
  9. Web site: Cheryl Pellerin . 21 July 2017 . Project Maven to Deploy Computer Algorithms to War Zone by Year's End . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180604115837/https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1254719/project-maven-to-deploy-computer-algorithms-to-war-zone-by-years-end/ . 4 June 2018 . 3 June 2018 . DoD News, Defense Media Activity . United States Department of Defense.
  10. Web site: Tucker . Patrick . 2022-04-26 . NGA Will Take Over Pentagon’s Flagship AI Program . 2024-06-02 . Defense One . en.

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