In the clear, blue sky 50,000 feet above Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina, two F-16 Fighting Falcons square off in a dogfight. Although it may seem like a common drill to the average observer, what makes this particular test unusual is that only one of the two planes is controlled by a pilot. The other is powered by artificial intelligence, known as AI.
In this unprecedented drill, the Air Force’s experimental self-flying fighter takes on a jet flown by a human pilot at speeds up to 1,200 miles per hour. It successfully performs nose-to-nose passes and vertical maneuvers, and forces the opposing jet into vulnerable positions.
But Project Venom, the name of the Air Force initiative to launch unmanned aircraft, is only a glimpse into the way AI is revolutionizing military technology. From systems that allow missiles to seek out hidden targets in thick canopy with…
