The Pentagon and Silicon Valley: The Future of AI in National Defense  

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how the U.S. military operates, from intelligence analysis to mission planning and execution. But as AI capabilities advance at a rapid pace, concerns over the terms of the military’s access to these tools are intensifying. The recent standoff between the Department of War and Anthropic over restrictions on military use of AI has underscored these tensions, raising fundamental questions about how the United States will secure access to the AI it needs for national defense while preserving the innovation ecosystem that produces it.

On Tuesday, March 10, at 3:30 p.m. ET, CNAS will host a virtual conversation between CNAS Executive Vice President Paul Scharre; Lt. Gen. John N.T. “Jack” Shanahan, USAF (Ret.), the inaugural director of the Department of Defense Joint Artificial Intelligence Center; and Vivek Chilukuri, senior fellow and director of the Technology and National Security Program at CNAS. The discussion will explore what comes next for the Pentagon’s use of AI and the broader relationship between the U.S. military and frontier AI companies.

Live viewers will have the opportunity to ask questions during the event.