--- title: "The Air Force Just Let an AI Take Over Systems of a Military Jet" description: "The Air Force just let an AI-powered algorithm take over the navigation and sensor systems of a spy plane during a training flight on Tuesday." date: "2020-12-16" modified: "2020-12-16" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/air-force-ai-military-jet" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "Military" - "Science & Energy" tags: - "ai" - "air force" - "artificial intelligence" - "DeepMind" - "the digest" --- # The Air Force Just Let an AI Take Over Systems of a Military Jet ![The Air Force just let an AI-powered algorithm take over the navigation and sensor systems of a spy plane during a training flight on Tuesday.]() *\Image: Lockheed Martin\* ## Assuming Control The U.S. Air Force let an artificial intelligence take over the navigation and sensor systems of a Lockheed U-2 spy jet during a training flight on Tuesday, [according to the *Washington Post*](). The flight marks the first known time an AI has to been used to control a US military aircraft. "This is the first time this has ever happened," assistant Air Force Secretary Will Roper told the newspaper. ## Scanning Radar The AI took care of some highly specific tasks and was never in control of actually flying the plane — or, notably, [any weapon systems](). It was tasked with using the plane's radar sensors to look for oncoming missiles and missile launchers. Throughout the flight, the algorithm had full control to direct the sensors. The system was intentionally designed without a manual override to "provoke thought and learning in the test environment," as Air Force spokesman Josh Bendetti told the *Post*. ## Shock Doctrine The algorithm used publicly available algorithms developed by AI company DeepMind. It also used Kubernetes, a Google-owned software, to allow the AI software to work with the plane's onboard computer systems. The goal was to warm the military to the idea of working with AIs. "This is really meant to shock the Air Force and the \[Defense\] Department as a whole into how seriously we need to treat AI teaming," Roper told the *Post*. **READ MORE:** [In a first, Air Force uses AI on military jet]() \[*The Washington Post*\] **More on AI:** *[A Powerful AI Generated Some Predictions for the Future and They’re Quite Outrageous]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()