In a groundbreaking event, the U.S. Army Pacific hosted its largest Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Summit at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, on October 25-26, 2023. This third annual summit saw a remarkable surge in participation, with over 150 attendees, more than tripling last year’s count of 44.
The summit aimed to unite a diverse community of interest in AI/ML, including military, private sector, and academic experts. Lt. Gen. James B. Jarrard, USARPAC’s deputy commanding general, emphasized the importance of collaborative problem-solving in his opening remarks, stating, “We are asking you to be teammates as we try to solve these problems together.”
USARPAC’s goal is to harness AI/ML capabilities to facilitate data-driven decision-making and reduce decision cycle timelines. By engaging with the AI/ML community and conducting ongoing experiments, the organization seeks to stay ahead of threats in the Indo-Pacific region through technological advancements.
Maj. Josh Deehr, USARPAC Chief Data Office deputy director, highlighted the inclusivity of the event, stating, “By bringing everybody together for an annual summit, we can have a better understanding of not only what people are doing within USARPAC but across the DoD, in academia, and in the federally funded research and development centers, so that we can capitalize on and synchronize our efforts to have a unified path forward.”
The summit featured four main working groups, each focused on developing an AI/ML campaign plan in specific areas, such as logistical common operational picture, network modeling and simulation, foreign disclosure decision support tools, and enhancing the digital kill chain. These campaign plans will be integrated into the overall Army Campaign Plan.
Through collaboration and knowledge exchange, USARPAC is positioning itself as a leader in the ever-evolving technological landscape.
