In the high-stakes realm of disaster response, the U.S. National Guard is embracing artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize its operations. The Guard plans to use AI to drastically reduce communication lag and streamline decision-making processes.

Spearheading this shift is Project Theia, named after the Greek goddess of sight, which centralizes video data and applies AI solutions to enhance situational awareness during natural or human-caused disasters.

“Back in the day, we’d fly over a fire or disaster site, then come back, look at a map, make some marks on it, and then go out again and come back,” says Michael Wisniewski, Chief Data Officer with the Army National Guard’s communications and computers directorate, in a blog post.

The tool consolidates imagery from various military and civilian assets into a single platform, enabling rapid integration and standardization of data.

“It is widely known the National Guard has been at the forefront of domestic response efforts — especially during the past few decades. And this technology, simply put, is going to take us to the next level in not only how we coordinate with local agencies, but the speed in which we can help save lives,” says Army Gen. Daniel R Hokanson, Chief of the National Guard Bureau.

Collaboration with academia, facilitated through programs like Hacking For Defense, has been integral to the project’s success. By tapping into the diverse expertise of students and professionals, the Guard ensures innovative solutions to emerging challenges.

As the Guard gears up for the upcoming wildfire season, officials anticipate full operational readiness for Project Theia by year’s end. 

With nearly 400 domestic response operations conducted last year alone, the integration of AI promises to elevate the Guard’s ability to support federal and local agencies effectively during crises.