Bill Hepworth, PEO Enterprise Program Managing Director, speaks about AI at Forecast to Industry Day, November 18, 2024 in Springfield, Virginia.
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Gazing into the Program Executive Office’s (PEO) enterprise crystal ball over the coming calendar year, one of the hottest technologies will almost certainly be artificial intelligence (AI).
A brief retrospective
In early 2024, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Logistics and Acquisition Technology embarked on a 100-day sprint to launch the ASA(ALT) AI Implementation Plan . In late June, Army Chief Information Officer Leonel Garciga released guidance on generative AI (GenAI) and large language models, noting that GenAI models presented “unique and exciting opportunities to the Army” because of their potential to “transform mission processes by automating and executing certain tasks with unprecedented speed and efficiency.”
Work has also begun in earnest to establish Project Linchpin – the ASA’s flagship program (ALT) – as a centralized artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) ecosystem and service provider for all official programs of the army. Once funded in FY 2026, the program will enable PEOs with AI requirements to leverage the Project Linchpin ecosystem to ensure security and smooth operation.
As part of the current ASA(ALT) 500-day plan, which began in August, the Army has begun developing a layered AI defense framework to mitigate risks to AI systems and preparing human capital plans to ensure that Army acquisition personnel have the appropriate skills. . In the final phase of the ASA(ALT) AI Implementation Plan, FY 2026 to 2030, the Army will begin scaling and utilizing AI/ML ecosystems in the part of the Linchpin project.
Testing the AI field
In recent years, PEO Enterprise has begun to move into AI, including through its Army Vantage program, which uses AI-enabled workflows to help users make better decisions, faster. Analytical users of the platform can produce high-resolution dashboards leveraging AI/ML capabilities and collaborate in real time.
Most recently, PEO Enterprise’s Acquisition Innovation Directorate was working with the Army’s Small Business Innovation Research Program to identify ways to use AI/ML technologies to accelerate the acquisition process.
Yet PEO Enterprise is only at the beginning of its AI journey, which is part of its broader digital transformation.
“We set out to lay the groundwork for an acquisition that would enable faster integration of technologies like GenAI,” Mike Chappell, PEO Enterprise’s chief information officer, said at a conference earlier this year. Acknowledging that most of the Army’s initial GenAI growth has occurred in major commands, he said AI/ML technologies are “jumping into our backlog” for individual programs and capabilities. corporate enablement developed by IOC management. new Product Lead Innovate organization.
“Eventually, (AI) will reach every layer of the onion, from our back-office tools and applications to the capabilities and software we build for our Soldiers,” he said.
Moving forward with AI
By 2025, PEO Enterprise’s top executive predicts a strong need for AI/ML capabilities.
“It’s almost impossible not to do AI now,” said Bill Hepworth, program director, at PEO Enterprise’s Forecast to Industry event in November. “We are exploring this possibility for an assisted acquisition, and there are other ways to use it in our portfolio.”
Hepworth cited PEO Enterprise’s Army Data Platform — which plans an industry day in early 2025 — as an example of where AI could be introduced. PEO Enterprise’s Defense Commercial Systems could also explore ways to leverage AI, according to Kevin Curry, project manager of Defense Integrated Systems.
For Chappell, AI capabilities can potentially benefit several CIO-led initiatives, including neighborhood watch, data mesh and workplace modernization. Important factors for their team to consider will be security/trust and value.
PEO Enterprise leaders agree that the coming year is an ideal time for potential industry partners to request meetings to discuss the Army’s AI needs and solutions.
“We are open to your ideas,” Hepworth said.