Author Archive
CIO Briefing
What Trump’s Space Force Announcement Means
New plan would create sixth service branch, and annoy the Air Force.
Emerging Tech
Here’s How Google Pitched AI Tools to Special Operators Last Month
Even as the company drew back from its work on Project Maven, a sales team was going full steam ahead at a big SOF conference.
Cybersecurity
Russia, Too, Is Building a Giant War Cloud
It’s the latest improvement in the Russian military’s ability to operate off the rest of the world’s grid.
Emerging Tech
The U.S. Navy Is Developing Mothership Drones for Coastal Defense
The service is looking to accelerate the way it buys, builds and drills drones and robotic ships.
Cybersecurity
Special Operations Command Takes Aim At Enemies Hiding Files Inside Seized Electronics
Terror groups are using new techniques to reduce the intel value of seized laptops and cellphones.
Cybersecurity
Is Telegram Secure? French Terror Arrest Raises New Questions About Messaging App
It’s not clear that French police cracked the app’s encryption. But ISIS and other user groups are becoming wary.
Emerging Tech
How NATO’s Transformation Chief Is Pushing the Alliance to Keep Up in AI
Experimental robot medics and autonomy-driven base protection highlight NATO’s race to keep up with China, Russia, and the U.S. in emerging technology.
Cybersecurity
A Criminal Gang Used a Drone Swarm To Obstruct an FBI Hostage Raid
And that’s just one of the ways bad guys are putting drones to use, law enforcement officials say.
Emerging Tech
The U.S. Military Wants Giant Transformer Robot Subs
The future of countermine operations could look like a big bug that can swim for hundreds of kilometers.
Data
Experts Say AI Could Raise the Risks of Nuclear War
A new RAND report says ideas like mutually assured destruction and minimal deterrence strategy offer a lot less assurance in the age of intelligent software.
Data
The Pentagon Is Building an AI Product Factory
Job One for the new Joint Artificial Intelligence Center will be delivering solutions for services’ specific problems.
CIO Briefing
Eric Schmidt Didn’t Know That Google Was Working the Pentagon’s AI Project
The former chairman of Google was kept in the dark about the company’s outreach to the Defense Department — by design, he says.
Emerging Tech
U.S. Army Figures Out How To Do Facial Recognition in the Dark
New method uses machine learning to extrapolate features from thermal images.
IT Modernization
Google is Pursuing the Pentagon’s Giant Cloud Contract Quietly, Fearing An Employee Revolt
A fierce internal debate may undermine the company’s bid for the JEDI program.
Policy
This Pentagon Paper Explains Why the Trump Administration Is Reining In Tech Trade with China
The newly released paper describes how technological progress fits into China’s long-term strategic plans.
Emerging Tech
After London, How Lasers Will Play a Role in Detecting Chemical Attacks Sooner
A new technique can detect trace elements of dangerous chemicals in extremely small doses, a breakthrough of relevance to the horror show playing out in Salisbury, U.K.
Cybersecurity
Russian Military Chief Lays Out the Kremlin’s High-Tech War Plans
Robotics, artificial intelligence, and a willingness to strike the enemy’s non-military targets will figure in the country’s future strategies.
Emerging Tech
Pentagon’s New Arms-Research Chief Eyes Space-Based Ray Guns
Neutral-particle beams, a concept first tried in the 1980s, may get a fresh look under Michael Griffin.
Data
Facebook Just Blocked This Cambridge Analytica Affiliate. Why Does It Still Have a State Department Contract?
Strategic Communications Laboratories worked with Cambridge Analytica, which reportedly used social-media data to target likely Trump voters.
Data