U.S., United Arab Emirates team up for military AI task force

The United States and the United Arab Emirates agreed Tuesday to establish a joint task force to speed up the development of military artificial intelligence. The task force will focus on building AI tools for military intelligence, protecting critical infrastructure, and monitoring Middle East security, according to U.S. Central Command. The command, which is based in Tampa, Fla., oversees military operations and security in the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia.

The new project, named Task Force Talon Synapse, should formally launch in a few weeks. The task force will consist of about 20 American and Emirati members with expertise in AI, data, and security, according to U.S. Central Command. The effort will be based in Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital.

Central Command did not provide details on whether AI giants that already hold U.S. military contracts, such as OpenAI and Palantir, would participate in the task force. However, the statement said that U.S. and Emirati defense officials met with AI industry leaders last month.

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