Former Army officer creates offline AI technology for military applications

In recent months, Tyler Saltsman, a former Army officer, has pioneered a specialized artificial intelligence designed for military use. His company, EdgeRunner AI, focuses on creating AI that does not rely on internet connectivity, contrasting sharply with many existing technologies that require constant online access. This novel approach allows the AI to operate directly from chips embedded in military equipment, ensuring data security and availability in the field. Saltsman has a background that includes eight years of service in the Reserves and contributions to Operation Atlantic Resolve in 2017. His technological experience encompasses roles at well-known firms such as Amazon Web Services and Stability AI. Particularly critical to Saltsman's work is the need for AI that is tailored specifically for military applications. He posits that many current models, like ChatGPT, are too generalized and do not adequately meet the specialized needs of armed forces. To develop this offline AI, EdgeRunner AI utilizes a vast dataset of over 30 billion tokens related to military doctrine, history, and various influential philosophies, thereby crafting models that align closely with military expertise. Saltsman has stressed the importance of addressing the biases that mainstream AI tools may carry, highlighting that the military requires objective technology devoid of political leanings. Additionally, Saltsman points out that existing internet-dependent AI systems often produce unreliable and biased outputs due to the extensive and sometimes problematic data they are trained on. EdgeRunner AI aims to address these shortcomings by providing a reliable, efficient tool that can assist military personnel in generating operations orders, risk assessments, and other logistical tasks. Ultimately, the initiative represents a significant shift in how technological advancements can be effectively integrated into military operations.