The Pentagon uses AI for a wide variety of things, including tasks like equipment maintenance that are far from the battle. The most pressing needs are technologies that could save soldiers’ lives. The Pentagon is finally getting better at procuring technology from Silicon Valley. Private-sector tech companies, especially small ones, have often had difficulty selling their wares to the Pentagon. It’s no secret that the wars in Syria and Ukraine have taught the Pentagon a lot about the kinds of threats it could face if pulled into a new conflict. Is AI the new military tool on the battlefield?