SAAB to Develop System for AI Evaluating in Combat Conditions

23 January, 2025 Ghost Robotics Vision 60. Source: DVIDS. The Swedish defense company SAAB has received a contract from the U.S.

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop benchmarks for AI evaluation. According to the company's press release, SAAB will develop the benchmarks together with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The project will be implemented as part of the Autonomy Standards and Ideals with Military Operational Values (ASIMOV) program.

SAAB will be represented by the Saab-Skapa team, which has extensive experience in developing autonomous systems.

Autonomous system based on the CB90 boat from Saab-Skapa. Source: SAAB.

The program is aimed at accelerating the development and expansion of AI and autonomous systems in both military and civilian areas. It's also planned to analyze and compare ethical challenges that may arise during the operation of systems with built-in AI.

In addition, ASIMOV will investigate the ability of such systems to perform tasks in a variety of operational environments. To fulfill the program's objectives, the developers will create prototypes of generative environments to study the reactions of autonomous systems in complex ethical situations.

Artificial intelligence software recognizes objects detected by the system.

Freeze frame from the DefSecIntel video.

These measures are intended to help the military assess the readiness of AI systems to function in real combat operations. The ASIMOV program will not develop autonomous systems, but will focus on developing tools and standards for assessing their operational readiness. On January 14, it was reported that Saab has developed a technology to combine a group of drones into a single network for autonomous combat missions.

To use groups of drones, there will be no need to allocate separate pilots, as the control can be carried out exclusively by one person who will make key decisions.