U.S. Military Researchers Seek Industry Support to Enhance AI Accountability
U.S. military researchers are calling on industry experts to collaborate on an initiative aimed at improving the accountability of artificial intelligence (AI) in complex environments. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has issued a presolicitation for the Friction for Accountability in Conversational Transactions (FACT) project. The goal of FACT is to explore methods of enabling accountable decision-making through improved communication between humans and AI systems.
While AI is already capable of processing natural language, the concern lies in the potential uncritical acceptance of AI recommendations by warfighters, without considering potential unintended consequences. The FACT program acknowledges that AI should be developed with sufficient human/machine interaction to identify crucial biases and assumptions that may lead to misguided decisions in areas such as strategic planning, intelligence analysis, and reconnaissance.
The ability to engage in dialogue is vital for human teams to effectively solve complex problems, ensuring a shared understanding of intentions, assumptions, and accountability at each stage. This process allows warfighters to identify flawed reasoning and adapt assumptions when complete information is not initially available. Currently, no systems utilize dialogue to promote trust and accountability, hindering the consideration of factors that may not be initially accounted for.
The FACT initiative aims to explore, develop, and evaluate algorithms for shaping human-AI conversations. These algorithms will capture mutual assumptions, perspectives, and intentions based on dialogue history. They will also assess the consequences of potential actions, highlighting costs and underlying assumptions for critical analysis.
The program will have an 18-month timeframe divided into two phases. The initial phase will focus on algorithm development and feasibility studies, followed by a detailed evaluation of proofs-of-concept within a military application. The identified applications include robotics, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), as well as mission planning.
Interested companies are encouraged to submit their responses through the DARPA Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) portal by December 14, 2023. For further inquiries, companies may contact Matthew Marge, the DARPA FACT program manager, via email at [email protected] Additional information can be found on the official DARPA website.
With the emergence of AI technology, it is essential to address the potential pitfalls of blindly following AI recommendations. By integrating dialogue and enhancing accountability, the military aims to ensure that AI systems assist warfighters in making informed decisions that prioritize human intelligence and strategic considerations. The FACT project serves as a crucial step toward leveraging AI technology effectively while preventing overreliance on its outputs in critical military operations.
