Defense Secretary James Mattis says he sees a growing role for the technology industry in defending the United States. <\/p>\n
The comments suggest a potential untapped market for Amazon and Google, whose hometowns Mattis visited this week on a West Coast swing, and other large companies like Apple, Facebook and Microsoft. <\/p>\n
Like the leaders of these tech companies, Mattis is focused on acquiring more expertise in artificial intelligence. <\/p>\n
The difference is his goal: getting it into the U.S. military faster, to make it a \"more lethal and more effective\" fighting force. <\/p>\n
\"Many of the advances [in AI] are out here in private companies,\" Mattis told reporters after touring the Mountain View, California, location of the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental. <\/p>\n
What Mattis referred to as \"the DUIX\" is a new arm of the Defense Department designed to speed the adoption of new technologies into the military. <\/p>\n
Already the unit, whose advisors include Alphabet Chairman Eric Schmidt, has reportedly had its software deployed in the Middle East for use in on-the-fly targeting of weapons systems, according to a report. <\/p>\n
\"We'll get better at integrating AI advances out here into the U.S. military,\" thanks to the unit. Mattis said DUIX will \"grow in influence and impact\" on the Pentagon. <\/p>\n
Schmidt and Raj Shah, the DUIX chief since May 2016, visited Al Udeid, a U.S. military base in Qatar, where the unit's software was installed. <\/p>\n
The DUIX unit located near Google will have a staff of 75 by next summer, up from the current 48, according to a presentation given in advance of Mattis' question and answer session. <\/p>\n
During his meeting with reporters, Mattis also said the U.S. military was \"ready\" to respond to the threat from North Korea. <\/p>\n
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Defense Secretary Mattis predicts bigger defense role for private technology firms - CNBC<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Defense Secretary James Mattis says he sees a growing role for the technology industry in defending the United States. The comments suggest a potential untapped market for Amazon and Google, whose hometowns Mattis visited this week on a West Coast swing, and other large companies like Apple, Facebook and Microsoft Continue reading