American artificial intelligence company Scale AI said Wednesday it will partner with the Pentagon on a new project to introduce AI into military planning and operations.
The company told The Washington Times it scored a prime contract for the “Thunderforge” program via the Defense Innovation Unit, with the intent of bringing AI agents into military workflows.
Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang said his company would transform today’s military operating process.
“Working together with DIU, Combatant Commands, and our industry partners, we will lead the Joint Force in integrating AI into operational decision-making,” Mr. Wang said in a statement. “DIU’s enhanced speed will provide our nation’s military leaders with the greatest technological advantage.”
Asked about the cost of the contract and the award, Scale AI refused to share details and DIU did not answer how much taxpayer money would be spent. Scale AI called its contract a “significant milestone in military advancement.”
DIU said the Thunderforge solution would provide “AI-assisted planning capabilities, decision support tools, and automated workflows.” The system will first be deployed in U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and U.S. European Command.
“Thunderforge is the foundation for the next generation of AI-driven military decision-making, enhancing the Joint Force’s ability to plan, adapt, and respond to emerging challenges at machine speed — helping the warfighter to deter major conflict, or win if forced to fight,” said DIU Director Doug Beck in a statement.
Much about how the U.S. military adopts and deploys AI is still under development.
Craig Martell, the department’s former Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer, told The Times last year that he believed it was no longer possible to keep a human in the loop for every autonomous decision.
The new Trump administration is still building its Pentagon policy team, but it appears to be considering differing views from its predecessors.
In his first trip abroad, Vice President J.D. Vance attended an AI summit in Paris and told world leaders the U.S. was focused on “AI opportunity” over “AI safety,” a top priority of the Biden administration. He said the new administration was prioritizing innovation and economic growth over fear of potential pitfalls.
Hints of a shift in AI strategy are evident in tech companies’ AI work with military planners.
Last year, Scale AI partnered with the Pentagon to test and evaluate AI systems. Mr. Wang said then his team was helping to build benchmark tests for the Department of Defense to scrutinize large language models.
This year, DIU said its Thunderforge program would bring together Scale AI’s “agentic applications,” Anduril’s software, and Microsoft’s large language models.
DIU said the Thunderforge team would create a system “where AI agents simulate wargaming and planning scenarios and refine proposed courses of action.”
DIU Thunderforge Program Lead Bryce Goodman said the system would replace processes relying on decades-old tech and methods.
“Thunderforge brings AI-powered analysis and automation to operational and strategic planning, allowing decision-makers to operate at the pace required for emerging conflicts,” Mr. Goodman said in a statement.
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.