Pentagon AI Chief Urges Industry to Accelerate Innovation and Delivery

The Pentagon’s top artificial intelligence official is calling on industry partners to move faster and think more creatively as the U.S. military pushes ahead with its AI strategy. Cameron Stanley, the newly appointed chief digital and AI officer, says the Department of Defense needs innovative technologies delivered at speed to address a rapidly evolving set of operational and strategic challenges.

U.S. Department of Defense has made artificial intelligence a central pillar of its modernization efforts, viewing the technology as critical to maintaining military readiness and technological advantage. Speaking to industry and technology stakeholders, Cameron Stanley emphasized that traditional acquisition processes are often too slow for the pace of modern innovation, particularly in areas such as AI, data analytics and digital infrastructure.

Stanley highlighted the growing use of “other transaction authorities,” or OTAs, as a way to bypass lengthy procurement cycles and bring new capabilities into the field more quickly. OTAs allow the Pentagon to work with nontraditional contractors, startups and commercial technology firms that may lack experience navigating standard defense acquisition rules. According to Stanley, these flexible agreements are essential for attracting cutting-edge companies that would otherwise avoid working with the government.

Creative contracting models are another priority. Stanley said the Pentagon is increasingly open to experimentation in how it structures deals, including phased contracts, rapid prototypes and pilot programs that can be scaled if they prove successful. The goal, he said, is to reduce risk for both the government and industry while accelerating the delivery of usable solutions.

The Department of Defense is actively seeking ideas across a wide spectrum of challenges, ranging from logistics optimization and predictive maintenance to battlefield awareness and decision support. Stanley noted that AI is not just about autonomous systems or advanced weapons, but about improving everyday processes that underpin military operations. Better use of data, he argued, can lead to faster decisions, lower costs and more resilient forces.

Stanley also stressed the importance of collaboration between government, industry and academia. He said the Pentagon does not expect to build everything internally and must rely on a broad ecosystem of partners to stay ahead of emerging threats. That includes working with companies that are already deploying AI at scale in commercial settings and adapting those technologies for defense use.

At the same time, Stanley acknowledged the need to balance speed with responsibility. As AI systems are integrated into defense operations, issues such as security, reliability and ethical use remain central concerns. He said innovation must be paired with rigorous testing and oversight to ensure systems perform as intended in high-stakes environments.

The message to industry, Stanley said, is clear: the Pentagon is open to new ideas and new ways of working, but it expects partners to deliver solutions quickly and at scale. As global competition in AI intensifies, the ability to innovate rapidly may prove just as important as the technology itself.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com