Artificial intelligence’s birthplace hosts activation of Army task force

Gen. John Murray, commander of Army Futures Command, pins the command patch on Brig. Gen. Matthew Easley, director of the Army AI Task Force. Seated right are Army Secretary Mark Esper and Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA).

PITTSBURGH – Carnegie Mellon University was the backdrop Friday, Feb. 1, for the Army as it used the Pittsburgh university’s National Robotics Engineering Center to activate its Artificial Intelligence Task Force.

Carnegie Mellon is the hub of the AI Task Force, which will eventually include other leading universities nationwide and private sector involvement. The task force will also leverage coordination and collaboration with the Army Research Lab and the Defense Department's newly established Joint Artificial Intelligence Center.

“The activation of the Army's Artificial Intelligence Task Force is a critical step in modernizing the force to ensure future success,” said Secretary of the Army Mark Esper, who attended the event. “Carnegie Mellon and the Pittsburgh area embody the spirit of hard work and innovation essential to shaping the Army of the future.”

James Boozer, chief of staff for the National Defense Industrial Association, attended the ceremony for the new task force, which will augment the Army's long-standing commitment to modernization and future technology while strengthening its ties to fundamental research in academia. Also attending were Gen. John Murray, commander of Army Futures Command, and Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA).

“The Army's AI Task Force is a good example of our commitment to capitalize on the spirit of American ingenuity found on today's colleges and universities, including Carnegie Mellon,” Murray said.