The big AI research DARPA is funding this year
The Defense Department’s key research arm will experiment with ethical chatbots and new robot super pilots.
In its most recent budget request, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, is asking for increased spending for a handful of key AI projects focused on human-machine teams, AI reasoning, and highly autonomous AIs that follow the Defense Department’s AI ethics principles.
Perhaps the most important AI program DARPA is looking to fund in FY 2025 is the Rapid Experimental Missionized Autonomy, or REMA, which seeks to “enhance commercially available and stock military drones with a subsystem to enable autonomous operation.” In other words, it would give remotely piloted drones purchased anywhere new powers to make decisions. DARPA is asking for $13.8 million for the program this year, up from a request for $5 million last year, in order to “continue to develop software, integrate with other performers, test, refine, and retest REMA solution,” through multiple development cycles.