AI Needs of the Air Force

Published on May 1, 2024

An F-15E Strike Eagle sits on the flight line at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, in February 2021. The Air Force needs AI and automation tools to help predict demand for low-rate fail parts that are crucial to sustaining F-15 operations. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kylie Barrow

The service has a great demand for artificial intelligence and data management improvements to aid its operations and future capabilities.

The U.S. Air Force is not well positioned to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and its existing data sources. The service is not organized, trained or properly equipped for AI, nor are its policies aligned to harness the decision advantages that AI, machine learning, automation and advanced data management could bring, said the Air Force’s new vice chief, Gen. James Slife.

And while the Air Force is pursuing its Department of the Air Force Battle Network, combined joint all-domain command and control (CJADC2), and modernizing its digital enterprise, the service continues to face data silos with untouched information. The service could more easily apply AI if its bifurcated, enormous data sources are leveraged, according to the vice chief who joined the Department of the Air Force staff in December.

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