AI copilots set to engage the future of air combat
Can you describe the main functions of the AI teammate, VIPR, as developed by APL researchers?
VIPR, the Virtual Intelligent Peer-Reasoning agent, is an AI teammate developed by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). It serves as a situationally-aware peer, performant wingman, and cognitive support assistant to augment human decision-making in air combat scenarios. VIPR actively tracks the cognitive state of the pilot, understanding their intentions and maintaining awareness of their blind spots. It can respond to voice commands, switch roles between full pilot and copilot, and even pilot multiple autonomous squad mates. VIPR aims to enhance and complement the abilities, intuition, and experience of human fighter pilots with machine speed and precision.
How does the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence view the role of AI in defending against AI-capable adversaries?
The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI) views AI as crucial in defending against AI-capable adversaries. The NSCAI's 2021 final report states that not employing AI while defending against such adversaries is "an invitation to disaster." The NSCAI emphasizes the need for the U.S. to maintain a competitive advantage in AI development and deployment.
What are the primary goals of the Intelligent Combat Platforms Group at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory concerning AI in air combat?
The primary goals of the Intelligent Combat Platforms Group at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory concerning AI in air combat are to augment human decision-making with the computational power of AI, enhance and complement pilots' abilities, intuition, and experience with machine speed and precision, and provide humans with intelligent virtual assistants. They have developed an AI teammate called VIPR, which serves as a situationally-aware peer, performant wingman, and cognitive support assistant to the pilot. VIPR actively tracks the cognitive state of the pilot, understands intentions, and informs the pilot of any critical information they may have missed during combat.