NSCAI Pushes for Immediate AI Action and Investment in Final Report

Key Takeaways:

• The NSCAI’s final report provides a roadmap to the U.S. to strengthen its AI capabilities in national security and global technology competition.
• The report emphasizes themes in garnering leadership participation, building workforce talent from scratch, domestic hardware fabrication, and infusing agencies with additional investment in AI-related innovations.
• The NSCAI calls for doubling non-defense AI R&D to reach $36B by 2026, and 3.4% of DOD’s annual budget dedicated to science and technology.

Last week, the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI) published a 756-page report detailing an aggressive national strategy to bolster U.S. national security and stance on the technology global stage utilizing AI, machine learning and associated emerging technologies.  Commissioned by the FY 2019 NDAA, the NSCAI is comprised of 15 commissioners representing technologists, business executives, academic leaders and national security experts. The NSCAI’s previous work includes an initial report in July 2019, two interim reports and quarterly memorandums, and white papers reflecting AI’s role in response to the pandemic.

In this final report, the NSCAI begins with a clear-cut message, “America is not prepared to defend or compete in the AI era. This is the tough reality we must face. And it is this reality that demands comprehensive, whole-of-nation action. Our final report presents a strategy to defend against AI threats, responsibly employ AI for national security, and win the broader technology competition for the sake of our prosperity, security, and welfare.”

The report begins with a thorough introduction of the content, followed by a two-pronged approach, “Defending America in the AI Era” and “Winning the Technology Competition.” Within the two approaches are 16 main chapters, each filled with topline recommendations. Finally, the report concludes with Blueprints for Action outlining steps the federal government must take to implement NSCAI recommendations.

Four overarching themes emerge from the massive report: leadership, workforce talent, domestic fabrication and investment.

Leadership

The report underlines the importance of a National AI Strategy stemming from the White House. In December, the House approved a nonbinding resolution to create an AI National Strategy. To date, movements around a national strategy have not surfaced. The NSCAI recommends the creation of a Technology Competitiveness Council, likening it to the National Security Council, led by the Vice President. The Council would oversee creation and implementation of a national strategy, which takes into account multifaceted security, economic and scientific challenges surrounding AI technologies.

Talent

The NSCAI recommends building new technology talent pipelines from scratch, going as far as stating the talent deficit in DOD and the IC is representing the largest obstacle in being AI-ready by 2025. The commission recommends establishing a new Digital Services Academy to train current and future employees, and a civilian National Reserve to grow tech talent much in the same way the U.S. grows military officers. The report also encourages Congress to pass the National Defense Education Act II to invest in undergraduate and graduate studies in AI-related fields, and pursue a comprehensive immigration strategy for highly skilled immigrants.

Hardware

The report finds that nearly all sophisticated microchips are manufactured abroad, leaving the U.S. at the mercy of foreign competitors. The NSCAI recommends as much as $35B to revitalize domestic microchip fabrication and establish U.S. independence in the engines powering future machines. Specifically, the report suggests Congress appropriate at least $25B to subsidize U.S. facilities for state-of-the-art microelectronics fabrications – as called upon by the FY 2021 NDAA. Moreover, the report suggests $1.1B in semiconductor R&D in FY 2022, increasing funding over the next five years to $12B, to accelerate the technology sector.

Investment in Innovation

In order to preserve U.S. leadership in AI applications, the report insists the federal government partner with U.S. industry, suggesting as much as $40B to expand and democratize federal AI R&D. Specifically, the NSCAI insists that non-defense R&D double in funding to reach $36B by 2026. Moreover, the report suggests S&T represent 3.4% of DOD’s annual budget, with $8B towards AI R&D. Creation of an independent agency, the National Technology Foundation (NTF), a reflection of NSF and DARPA, will also help to accelerate technology progress and innovative ideas. The report recommends $30M for initial expenses and up to $20B by FY 2026 to operate. Lastly, the report encourages the expansion to 30 AI institutes under NSF, with annual appropriations of $200M from FY 2022- 2024.

In all, the NSCAI’s final report makes over 90 recommendations towards the strengthening of AI in national security and global technology competition. Within those recommendations, the commission calls on Congress to appropriate funding in several of the recommendations. Some of the most notable calls for appropriations (not mentioned yet) include:  

• $200M to establish a dedicated AI fund at DOD Research & Engineering (R&E)
• $1B annually for 10 years at ODNI to establish a Program of Record for long-term funding of technologies
• Up to $1.25B to NSF between FY 2022- 2028 to establish a team-based AI award
• $200M for FY 2022- 2026 to form a network of Regional Innovation Clusters at NIST
• $400M in FY 2022 and $5B total for FY 2022- 2026 to increase funding for DARPA’s Electronics Resurgence Initiative (ERI)
• $1B to USAID towards technology infrastructure projects
• $230M in additional funding to State to support foreign assistance activities for emerging technology and digital infrastructure

The report finalizes its comments stating, “We ultimately came away with a recognition that if America embraces and invests in AI based on our values, it will transform our country and ensure that the United States and its allies continue to shape the world for the good of all humankind.”

While the report is the NSCAI’s most significant task, the commission will remain intact until October1, 2021 to work with the President and Congress to implement the actions and investments called upon to strengthen U.S. AI.