News 12 Investigates: ECU professor explains how AI is helping military intelligence
GREENVILLE, Pitt County — Artificial intelligence is helping military analysts sort through large amounts of information, identify potential threats and build a clearer picture of situations that could affect military operations.
For Eastern North Carolina’s military community, where information can be critical, AI is already being used to analyze intelligence and help identify potential threats.
Dr. David Hart, an assistant professor of computer science at East Carolina University, said AI can help people find key details and organize information while humans remain responsible for final decisions.
One Pentagon program, called Project Maven, uses AI to sort through intelligence gathered from drones, satellites and other surveillance systems.
Hart said data analysis is one of AI’s most practical uses.
The technology can help read documents, organize information and create visualizations, completing tasks that might otherwise take days.
“If there were tons and tons of documents that you would need to parse through to understand the situation or understand the policy, now you can use AI to quickly read through that and get you the information you need in minutes time versus multiple days,” Hart said.
Hart said that information can give service members a starting point, helping them identify patterns, ask better questions and decide what information to review next.
As AI becomes more involved in military operations, questions are growing about how much authority machines should have and who should establish the limits.
Military leaders say humans remain responsible for final decisions involving the use of force.
Hart emphasized that AI remains a tool directed by people.
“It’s still a tool in somebody’s hands that they’re directing a particular way,” Hart said. “The key will be making sure that we’re using AI for the good.”
Hart said AI can help people access information faster, but it does not replace human judgment.
He said people must remain responsible for how the technology is used and the decisions made based on its results.
Hart also sees opportunities for Eastern North Carolina to apply AI to challenges beyond military operations, including health care and workforce needs.
The story is part of a News 12 Investigates series on the digital divide in Eastern Carolina. The series continues with a look at how AI could change healthcare.
If you have something you want the News 12 Investigates Team to look into, you can call, text, or e-mail us as we hold the powerful accountable.
17
The Blitz: Week 9 High School football scores from across ENC3
Pitt County Schools names principal, assistant principal of the year4
NC early voting begins as voters in Buncombe, Henderson counties weigh key issues3
Crews respond to commercial fire along N.C. 24
