[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 100 (Wednesday, May 22, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44964-44966]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-11195]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
[Docket ID: DoD-2024-OS-0058]
Defense Industrial Base Adoption of Artificial Intelligence for
Defense Applications; Notice of Availability
AGENCY: Office of Policy, Analysis, and Transition (PA&T), Office of
the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Industrial Base Resilience),
Department of Defense (DoD).
ACTION: Notice of request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: The DoD Office of Industrial Base Resilience seeks public
comment on actions it can take to enable the Defense Industrial Base
(DIB) to continue to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) for defense
applications. Feedback from the public will guide the DoD in developing
policies, initiatives, and resource distribution to ensure support for
the DIB in integrating AI into defense systems. Public comments will
also be used to formulate PA&T's Trusted AI Defense Industrial Base
Roadmap.
DATES: Responses to this notice must be received by July 22, 2024.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number and
title, by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
Mail: Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant to the
Secretary of Defense for Privacy, Civil Liberties, and Transparency,
4800 Mark Center Drive, Mailbox #24, Suite 08D09, Alexandria, VA 22350-
1700.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name, docket
number, and title of this Federal Register document. Each responding
entity (individual or organization) is requested to submit only one
response. You need not reply to all questions listed. The general
policy for comments and other submissions from members of the public is
to make them available as they are received, without change, including
any personal identifiers or contact information for public viewing on
the internet at http://www.regulations.gov. Therefore, your response to
this RFI should not include any information that is proprietary,
copyrighted, or personally identifiable, or that you do not wish to be
made public.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Kylie Gaskins, Deputy Director,
Enabling Future Capabilities Transition Division of the Office of
Policy, Analysis, and Transition, at (571) 372-6380 or [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The DoD Office of Industrial Base Resilience recognizes that the
integration of AI into defense systems is pivotal to national security.
The DIB is responsible for developing, manufacturing, and maintaining
the systems that the U.S. military uses to defend the nation. DoD
collaborates with the DIB to rapidly adopt AI for defense applications
and maintain the nation's tactical advantage.
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The Department recognizes the importance of investing in the DIB's
ability to incorporate AI into the design, development, operations,
maintenance, and support of defense systems. Two Executive Orders
signed in 2021 and 2023 underscore the need for the United States to
uphold its technological competitiveness. Executive Order 14017,
``America's Supply Chains'' (available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/03/01/2021-04280/americas-supply-chains), prioritizes the establishment of a resilient supply
chain and DIB to safeguard U.S. economic prosperity and national
security. Executive Order 14110, ``Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy
Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence'' (available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/11/01/2023-24283/safe-secure-and-trustworthy-development-and-use-of-artificial-intelligence),
highlights the importance of integrating AI securely and safely. The
recently released National Defense Industrial Strategy (NDIS)
(available at https://www.businessdefense.gov/NDIS.html) emphasizes the
significance of robust supply chains and modernization of the DIB, both
of which can be facilitated through the adoption of AI. Finally, the
Data, Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence Adoption Strategy
(available at https://media.defense.gov/2023/Nov/02/2003333300/-1/-1/1/DOD_DATA_ANALYTICS_AI_ADOPTION_STRATEGY.PDF), by the Department's Chief
Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office, advocates for an approach
to AI that includes data, analytics, rapid research and development,
and seamless integration with allied nations and partners. These
strategies, approaches, and policies emphasize the critical importance
of a robust DIB with the resources necessary to employ AI effectively
for defense applications.
The Department seeks comments from the public to: (1) help the DoD
understand the resources needed by the DIB for ongoing integration of
AI into defense systems; and (2) help PA&T to develop a Trusted AI
Defense Industrial Base Roadmap, which will outline short-, mid-, and
long-term DIB considerations for AI-enabled defense systems.
Written Comments
The DoD seeks input and insight specifically pertaining to the
policy goals outlined in Executive Orders 14017 and 14110, the NDIS,
and the Data, Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence Adoption Strategy.
These directives directly impact the DIB's ability to integrate AI into
defense applications. The Department is seeking input from the public
on the following questions:
Infrastructure/Supply Chain Resilience
The domestic DIB includes public-sector (government-owned,
government-operated) facilities, academic institutions, and private-
sector (commercial) companies that are located in the United States and
that enable the DoD to conduct its missions. The global DIB includes
foreign-owned companies, commodities, and supply chains sourced from
countries with or without which the United States maintains formal
defense cooperation partnerships with the United States. Together, the
domestic DIB and portions of the global DIB form the National
Technology and Industrial Base, as established by 10 U.S.C. 4801.
1. What foundational investments in the DIB does the DoD need to
make to support increased adoption of AI into defense systems (e.g.,
manufacturing considerations, standards, best practices, bill of
materials, etc.)? What foundational investments (e.g., standards, best
practices, bills of materials, etc.) already exist within the DIB for
defense systems that incorporate AI?
2. Are there specific vulnerabilities in the current and future
supply chain that the DoD needs to address to support defense systems
that incorporate AI?
3. Are there specific sectors/subindustries within the DIB that
face significant challenges in developing and applying AI to defense
systems? If so, which sectors/subindustries are impacted and what
challenges do the sectors/subindustries face?
Workforce
A non-traditional defense contractor is defined as an entity that
is not currently performing and has not performed, for at least the
one-year period preceding the solicitation of sources by the DoD for
the procurement or transaction, any contract or subcontract for the DoD
that is subject to full coverage under the cost accounting standards
prescribed pursuant to 41 U.S.C. 1502 and the regulations implementing
such section.
A small business in the United States is defined by the U.S. Small
Business Administration's table of small business size standards:
https://www.sba.gov/document/support-table-size-standards.
4. How can the DoD support the involvement of non-traditional
defense contractors and small businesses in the design, development,
testing, and deployment of AI technologies for defense applications?
5. How can the DoD support and create effective partnerships with
the DIB that will ensure that the DoD and DIB workforce is adequately
trained, skilled, and sized to partner effectively?
Innovation
6. Are there specific intellectual property considerations or
challenges related to the development of AI-enabled defense systems
that impact the DIB? If so, how can the DoD address these issues to
promote innovation?
7. How can the DoD promote information-sharing and collaboration
among government agencies, defense contractors, and research
institutions to enhance data availability, collective knowledge,
capabilities, and defense innovation in AI adoption into defense
systems?
8. What measures can the DoD take to assess and mitigate the risks
associated with potential adversarial exploitation of AI technologies
within the DIB for developmental and/or operational defense systems?
Acquisition, Policy, & Regulatory Environment
9. Please identify statutory, regulatory, or other policy barriers
to the DIB's design, development, testing, and provision of AI-enabled
defense systems in a manner consistent with DoD's approach to
Responsible AI (https://rai.tradewindai.com/).
10. Please identify examples of DoD programs, strategies, policies,
or initiatives that have provided effective support to the DIB in
transitioning AI for defense applications. What made these programs,
strategies, policies, or initiatives successful?
11. What DoD financing and acquisition mechanisms can help
facilitate or incentivize the DIB to continue to invest in AI
technologies for defense applications?
12. What are the primary barriers that the DoD needs to address in
the next five to ten years to enable the DIB to adopt AI for defense
applications?
13. In what ways can AI support or enhance acquisitions, supply
chain management, regulatory compliance, and information-sharing in the
DIB?
The DoD encourages respondents to structure their comments using
the same text above as identifiers for the areas of inquiry to which
they are responding. This will assist the DoD in reviewing and
summarizing the comments. For example, a commenter submitting comments
responsive to (1), ``1. What foundational investments in the Defense
Industrial Base (DIB) does the DoD need to make to support increased
adoption of AI into defense systems (e.g.,
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manufacturing considerations, standards, best practices, bill of
materials, etc.)?'' would use that same text as a heading in the public
comments followed by the commenter's specific comments in this area.
The Department encourages the use of an Executive Summary at the
beginning of all comments and information so it can review the
submitted documents more efficiently. All inputs are welcome.
Respondents do not need to reply to every question.
Requirements for Written Comments
The http://www.regulations.gov website allows users to provide
comments by filling in a ``Type Comment'' field, or by attaching a
document using an ``Upload File'' field. The DoD prefers that comments
be provided in an attached document. The Department prefers submissions
in Microsoft Word (.doc files) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf files). If the
submission is provided in a format other than Microsoft Word or Adobe
Acrobat, please indicate the name of the application in the ``Type
Comment'' field. Please do not attach separate cover letters to
electronic submissions; rather, include any information that might
appear in a cover letter within the comments. Similarly, to the extent
possible, please include any exhibits, annexes, or other attachments in
the same file, so the submission consists of one file instead of
multiple files. Responses must not exceed 12 pages in 12-point or
larger font, with a page number provided on each page. Comments will be
placed in the docket and open to public inspection. Comments may be
viewed on http://www.regulations.gov by entering docket number DoD-
2024-OS-0058 in the search field on the home page.
All filers should name their files using the name of the person or
entity submitting the comments. Responses should include the name of
the person(s) or organization(s) filing the comment, as well as the
respondent type (e.g., academic institution, advocacy group,
professional society, industry, member of the public, government
agency, other). Respondent's role in the organization is also requested
to be provided (e.g., researcher, faculty, student, administrator,
program manager, journalist) on a voluntary basis. We will not make
communications from United States Government agencies available for
public inspection.
Anyone submitting business confidential information should clearly
identify the business confidential portion at the time of submission,
file a statement justifying nondisclosure and referring to the specific
legal authority claimed, and provide a non-confidential version of the
submission. The non-confidential version of the submission will be
placed in the public file on http://www.regulations.gov. For comments
submitted electronically containing business confidential information,
the file name of the business confidential version should begin with
the characters ``BC.'' Any page containing business confidential
information must be clearly marked ``BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL'' on the top
of that page. The non-confidential version must be clearly marked
``PUBLIC.'' The file name of the non-confidential version should begin
with the character ``P.'' The ``BC'' and ``P'' should be followed by
the name of the person or entity submitting the comments or rebuttal
comments.
If a public hearing is held in support of this assessment, a
separate Federal Register notice will be published providing the date
and information about the hearing. The Office of the Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Defense (Industrial Base Resilience) does not maintain a
separate public inspection facility. Requesters should first view the
Department's web page, which can be found at https://open.defense.gov/
(see ``Electronic FOIA'' heading). The records related to this
assessment are made accessible in accordance with the regulations
published in part 4 of title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations (15
CFR 4.1 through 4.11).
Dated: May 16, 2024.
Aaron T. Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2024-11195 Filed 5-21-24; 8:45 am]
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