Convert voice into combat commands! OpenAI reportedly participating in the U.S. military drone swarm project bidding

According to multiple informed sources speaking to the media, OpenAI has partnered with two defense technology companies selected by the Pentagon to participate in their bidding process, developing software for voice-controlled drone swarm combat for the U.S. military.

According to two of the sources, OpenAI’s technology is only used to convert battlefield commanders’ voice commands into digital instructions that can be executed by drones, and will not be used for direct control of the drone swarms, weapon integration, or target locking.

This project is part of a $100 million “Challenge” announced by the Pentagon in January of this year. The initiative aims to deliver a pre-research prototype capable of commanding drone swarms that can make decisions and execute missions without human intervention. The sources say this six-month challenge will proceed in phases based on the performance and interest of the participants.

According to the sources, at least two of the submitted bids feature OpenAI’s branding. Previously, industry insiders had not disclosed OpenAI’s involvement in this matter.

However, some sources also indicated that OpenAI has not yet decided how far to advance this effort, nor finalized arrangements with the relevant defense tech companies. One person stated that OpenAI will only provide an open-source version of its models rather than the most advanced versions, but added that the company might offer installation support.

An OpenAI spokesperson said the company did not submit a bid on its own and that its involvement is limited to the initial phase. The spokesperson added that OpenAI’s two existing partners chose to include the company’s open-source models in their proposals. If either partner is selected, OpenAI will ensure that any tools used comply with its usage policies.

One of the bids containing OpenAI’s branding was led by Applied Intuition, a defense contractor and strategic partner of OpenAI. The bid also listed two other companies: Sierra Nevada Corporation and Noda AI.

Documents show that Applied Intuition will provide cluster interfaces and some digital instructions, Sierra Nevada will handle system integration, and Noda AI, supported by venture capital, will supply software for coordinating drone swarm control.

The schematic in the documents indicates that OpenAI will provide a command and control system for the “Mission Control Center,” with its software located within the “Coordinator” module, acting as an intermediary between human operators and machines.

Regardless, OpenAI’s involvement in the U.S. military drone swarm project suggests that its defense business is preparing to expand the current scope of its AI tools’ use by the military. Earlier this week, the Pentagon announced a partnership with OpenAI to make ChatGPT available to 3 million Department of Defense personnel.

While current technology has made it possible to control multiple drones simultaneously, developing software capable of commanding drone swarms in maritime and aerial environments—enabling autonomous movement and target pursuit—remains a significant challenge. Teams participating in the Pentagon’s competition must demonstrate that their technology can convert battlefield commanders’ voice commands into actions, allowing drones to collectively execute missions in combat.

The defense officials quoted in the Pentagon’s announcement explicitly stated that the project aims to enhance offensive capabilities, noting that human-machine interaction “will directly impact the lethality and effectiveness of these systems.” For example, commands might include directives like “move all unmanned surface vessels (USVs) east by 5 kilometers.”

Although the Pentagon is eager to accelerate the deployment of AI and autonomous technologies, multiple sources have revealed that integrating chatbots and voice-to-text commands into weapon platforms raises concerns among some defense officials. They emphasize that generative AI should be limited to translation functions and prohibited from directly controlling drone behavior.

(Source: Cailian Press)