Where Military and AI Intersect; Whose Information? Automated Vehicles, Public Streets, and Private Data

Artificial intelligence (AI) has permeated many sectors and has become useful no longer just to experts, but to everyone. Despite its proliferation, however, AI remains largely unregulated. Because AI requires vast training data, it has important implications for data privacy and transparency.
The United States military has a history of harnessing emerging technologies, including AI. Sea Hawk and Sea Hunter are experimental, robotic, AI-guided naval vessels developed by Leidos for the US Navy. Their training requirements and practical utility as naval vessels will
will be examined further.
Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) collect vehicle and driver data, some of which is withheld by private companies for internal use or for sale to third parties. Nevertheless such data can be of public value, for example in efforts to reduce the egregiously poor US road safety record. Companies withhold much of the data, citing business interests or proprietary rights. Their critics, however, argue that data generated by drivers on the public roads belong to the public and must be disclosed. In this debate, which in the US pits business interests against the public interest, automakers and tech companies have so far prevailed.

School of Engineering and Applied Science

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Technical Advisor: Rosanne Vrugtman

STS Advisor: Peter Norton