Technology is ready for “Third Wave Artificial Intelligence”, specialists say. After First Wave, where humans programmed the what-if-algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) simply used these, and Second Wave, where humans fed AI with data and it found statistical correlations by itself, Third Wave aims to develop an AI that is not restricted to one specific area, but might be successful in solving many different tasks. First implementations of Third Wave AI have already been made.
Now sensor solutions provider Hensoldt and AI company 21strategies agreed on a strategic collaboration. The aim is to jointly drive the development of next-generation AI for defence systems. To this end, Hensoldt is participating in 21strategies’ financing round, which will give the cooperation a strong foundation.
Artificial intelligence is crucial to the performance of many Hensoldt products. The agreed partnership will take Hensoldt’s AI competencies to a new level. With the new AI approaches of the Third Wave, such as cognitive AI, decisions in combat situations and reaction to unknown threats could be decisively accelerated. In addition, interesting synergies result from the combination with Hensoldt’s existing Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) competencies, which will further increase the performance of AI in the future.
21strategies trains next-generation AI for optimal decision-making at machine speed, enabling users to make and implement tactical decisions quickly and efficiently in complex and uncertain situations. The two companies are already working closely together on the GhostPlay project for the German Armed Forces Digitisation and Technology Research Centre (DTEC.Bw). GhostPlay creates a high-performance, synthetic simulation environment (= Ghost) in order to develop decision-making procedures taking into account different parameters (= Play) by means of AI and in interaction with opponents who have different performance profiles.
“As a technology company in the defence industry, we have special requirements for AI,” says Celia Pelaz, Board Member and Chief Strategy Officer at Hensoldt. “In order to optimally enable highly complex defence systems, we need to master artificial intelligence in its entire range. To this end, we develop many AI competencies in-house and supplement them in a very targeted manner by working with specialised partners such as 21strategies. As a strategic investor, we are able to provide the company with significant support in the defence sector and benefit from the targeted and rapid further development of the technology.”
Dorothee Frank, Head of editorial team