Pentagon Hands Scale AI the Keys to Military Planning

Scale AI just landed a multimillion-dollar deal to speed up military planning. The Pentagon wants its operations to move at "machine speed." Welcome to the future of warfare, where AI helps generals make decisions faster than you can say "strategic advantage."

The Defense Innovation Unit tapped Scale AI, Anduril, and Microsoft for its Thunderforge program. These tech giants will bring AI-powered planning tools to U.S. Indo-Pacific and European Commands. The program promises to transform everything from resource allocation to wargaming simulations. Think chess, but with real-world consequences.

Scale AI's CEO Alexandr Wang didn't mince words. His company's AI will "modernize American defense." The military's current planning systems run on technology older than most of its recruits. Thunderforge aims to change that.

The program marks a dramatic shift in Silicon Valley's relationship with the military. Tech companies once shied away from defense contracts. Now they're rushing to embrace them.

Google dropped its "don't be evil" approach to military AI. OpenAI quietly removed its ban on military applications. The valley's conscience seems to have developed a blind spot where defense dollars are concerned.

Why this matters:

• The Pentagon is betting big on AI to outthink its adversaries. But when machines help plan military operations, "move fast and break things" takes on an entirely new meaning
• Silicon Valley's moral compass now points firmly toward the Department of Defense's checkbook

Read on, my dear:

• CNBC: Scale AI announces multimillion-dollar defense deal, a major step in U.S. military automation