Lockheed Martin Forms New Subsidiary to Boost AI Adoption in Defense

Lockheed Martin, the world's largest defense contractor, has established a new subsidiary to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) within the US defense sector, reports Reuters. The move comes as companies across industries increasingly leverage AI for operational optimization, while defense companies have remained cautious due to the sensitive nature of data used in AI model training.

Astris AI, Lockheed Martin's new subsidiary, will focus on enabling US defense companies to seamlessly incorporate AI solutions into their operations. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between the rapidly evolving field of AI and the more conservative approach often taken by defense organizations.

"Companies across sectors have leaned more on AI over the past few years to help optimize their workflow," notes Reuters. "However, defense companies have remained cautious given the sensitive data required to train models in the sector."

The creation of Astris AI follows a similar move by Anduril Industries, a privately held defense tech company, which recently partnered with OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, to develop AI solutions for national security purposes.

Lockheed Martin emphasizes that Astris AI will also explore the application of AI in commercial settings. Donna O'Donnell, Astris AI's chief revenue officer, will lead the subsidiary. O'Donnell brings extensive experience in automation and generative AI from her previous role at Xerox.

Industry executives speculate that President-elect Donald Trump's planned government efficiency drive, potentially involving Elon Musk, could foster increased collaboration between large defense contractors and smaller tech firms in areas such as AI, drones, and uncrewed submarines.

This move by Lockheed Martin signifies a significant step towards broader AI integration within the US defense sector, reflecting a growing trend of incorporating advanced technologies into national security operations.