Emil Michael, Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, discusses the need for the Department of War to operate at "wartime speed" to catch up with military advancements, particularly in China. He shares his experience reducing the department's critical priority areas from 14 to six, with applied AI at the top, leading to a significant increase in AI usage among personnel. A key issue was the discovery of AI models with restrictive terms baked into sensitive military commands, potentially allowing vendors to shut off software mid-operation. Michael emphasizes the importance of democratic oversight and lawful AI usage, especially given adversaries' unrestricted AI development. He also touches on structural changes needed within the Department of War, advocating for simpler contracting processes and risk-sharing with industry to foster innovation and faster development cycles.
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