The Department of Defense Joint Artificial Intelligence Center hosted the second AI Partnership for Defense dialogue January 26-27 with military and defense institutions from 13 nations. The second AI-focused defense dialogue follows the inaugural session that occurred in September 2020, which focused on developing and implementing AI ethics principles in defense. The PfD is a recurring forum for like-minded defense partners to discuss their respective policies, approaches, challenges, and solutions in adopting AI-enabled capabilities.

“The second Partnership for Defense dialogue focused on the necessary conditions for AI readiness, beginning with AI-ready data. Through these dialogues we are advancing our shared interests in artificial intelligence that will impact the future of defense cooperation among our nations,” said Stephanie Culberson, Head of International AI Policy for the JAIC. “Together we have a generational opportunity to shape the design, development, and use of responsible AI in defense, ultimately strengthening our cooperation, and improving the interoperability and readiness of our militaries.”

The two-day dialogue focused on the importance of data in the AI delivery pipeline with continued discussions on the importance of applying ethics and safety measures across the AI product lifecycle. Representatives from various partner nations shared their approaches to governance, lessons learned, and good practices on data readiness. The group also engaged in scenario analyses to identify core challenges and share solutions to drive AI-enabled interoperability.

The PfD includes military and defense delegations from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Israel, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Organizers of the PfD said regular meetings will continue in 2021 to further dialogue on key components of AI readiness responsible AI, and interoperability. The PfD will also provide a marketplace for sharing policy ideas to encourage international cooperation and multilateral coordination on artificial intelligence for defense.

The dialogue provides meaningful exchange as the United States and participating nations make the transition from hardware centric forces to software centric and data focused militaries that are AI ready. Ultimately, a strong coalition of AI ready partners will serve as the backbone for interoperability and the responsible use of AI.