CamoGPT: Army's AI Tool Targeting Diversity and Inclusion
The U.S. Army is now wielding a prototype AI tool, CamoGPT, to scan training materials and pinpoint any references to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). This move aligns with a recent executive order aimed at reshaping the military's approach to these topics.
Think of it as a super-powered "find and replace" function. The Army's Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) is using CamoGPT to "review policies, programs, publications, and initiatives for DEIA and report findings," according to an internal memo. It's all about ensuring that training content reflects the current administration's vision.
Why is this happening?
This initiative follows President Trump’s executive order, "Restoring America’s Fighting Force." The order seeks to eliminate policies promoting what the administration deems "un-American, divisive, discriminatory, radical, extremist, and irrational theories" regarding race and gender. It's a broad mandate with potential implications for various aspects of military training and culture.
Army Maj. Chris Robinson, a TRADOC spokesman, confirmed the use of CamoGPT to WIRED, stating, "[TRADOC] will fully execute and implement all directives outlined in the Executive Orders issued by the President... the use of all tools in our portfolio, including CamoGPT, to increase productivity at all levels can and will be used."
How CamoGPT Works
Developed to boost productivity and operational readiness, CamoGPT is already used by around 4,000 people daily. According to Capt. Aidan Doyle, a CamoGPT data engineer, it helps with everything from crafting training programs to translating documents.
Imagine feeding a bunch of documents into CamoGPT and then asking it to find specific keywords like "dignity" or "respect." The AI then flags those sections for review and potential modification, bringing the content in line with the executive order.
"I would take all the documentation you want to examine, order it all in a collection on CamoGPT, and then ask questions about the documents," Doyle explained. "The way retrieval-augmented generation works is that the more specific your question is to the concepts inside the document, the more detailed information the model will provide back."
More Than Just CamoGPT
The Air Force also has its own AI tool, NIPRGPT, which assists airmen with tasks like summarizing documents and drafting code. It seems AI is becoming increasingly integrated into various aspects of military operations.
The Bigger Picture
This AI-assisted assessment is part of a broader government effort to re-evaluate DEIA initiatives. Other actions include closing DEIA offices, reviewing past programs, and even, controversially, removing historical content related to the Tuskegee Airmen (a decision that was later reversed).
CamoGPT's Origins
Inspired by the release of ChatGPT, CamoGPT was created by the Army’s Artificial Intelligence Integration Center (AI2C). Eric Schmitz, AI2C’s operations and intelligence portfolio lead, described their mission as making AI accessible to the Army through experimentation. "We are product-centric and believe AI is inherently software-driven," Schmitz stated.
Currently, CamoGPT is based on Meta’s Llama 3.3 70B LLM, but the underlying model can be swapped out for something better. The focus is on building user-friendly software that soldiers will actually use.
Whether CamoGPT sees widespread adoption across the Army is still up in the air. However, its success in streamlining the DEIA overhaul could solidify its place in military planning.
"The core question is: How do you build something that’s so valuable that people say they can't live without it?" Schmitz concluded.
Source: Wired