Pentagon Partners with Scale AI to Integrate Artificial Intelligence in Military Operations

The Department of Defense's Thunderforge program aims to enhance decision-making and resource allocation through AI-driven tools under human oversight.

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Scale AI a multimillion-dollar contract under the Thunderforge program to incorporate artificial intelligence into military planning and operations.
The initiative will initially deploy AI tools to support decision-making, mission planning, and resource allocation at the U.S. Indo-Pacific and European Commands, with plans to expand to all 11 combatant commands.
Thunderforge aims to modernize military workflows by enabling faster analysis and strategic planning through AI-powered simulations and scenario modeling, while retaining human oversight for decision-making.
The program involves collaboration with technology partners including Anduril, which will provide its Lattice software, and Microsoft, which will supply large language models for the AI systems.
The use of AI in military contexts remains controversial, with concerns about ethical implications and potential misuse, though Scale AI and the Defense Innovation Unit emphasize safety and oversight in the program.