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Intelligence Seeks Out Innovation

DIA opens the floor for new ideas.

Robert Dixon, special adviser for innovation, DIA, announces the agency’s third industry day series set for August 2-3 at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.

Like the U.S. Air Force, the DIA is searching for ways to use artificial intelligence to speed up its processes. For example, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the Autonomous Research System, or ARES, uses artificial intelligence to design, execute and analyze experiments faster than traditional scientific research methods.

Leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning is a hot topic for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and the agency isn’t letting conventional thinking stand in the way of finding innovative ideas. The upcoming Director’s 3rd Quarterly Industry Day is just one example. From planning to execution, the two-day event is designed to find new capabilities and business processes from the private sector and academia.

The agency begins the search by posting interests on NeedipeDIA. Robert Dixon, special adviser for innovation, DIA, relates that openness is key to finding new ideas. "It's not the size of the business that's important. It's the idea. We're casting the net wide to anyone who has the solutions that can help solve our problems. It could be someone working out of a garage someplace or it could be a large industry partner," Dixon says.

"NeedipeDIA is very open to anyone—the mom and pops, the garage innovators out there. If they have something that's relevant to our organization, we'll read their white papers, we'll evaluate them, and we’ll see where we go from there,” he adds.

The next step could be the DIA's collaborative Innovation Hub (iHUB) environment, where potential products can be created, tested and evaluated. Of the 32 white paper submissions for the DIA's last Industry Day, 20 were deemed worth a closer look as a demonstration in the iHUB.

The next industry day sessions take place August 2-3 at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C., and will focus on the topics in section 99 of NeedipeDIA. Some examples include the use of AI and machine learning tools for data collection, management and use, as well as machine learning that supports workflow automation activities.

Additional information and contact information for the upcoming industry day is available on FedBizOpps. Interested industry partners should send unclassified white papers to Ideas2Action@dodiis.mil and classified white papers to Ideas2Action@coe.ic.gov by July 18.

Innovators also may be interested in attending the Intelligence & National Security Summit, “The State of U.S. Intelligence: A Time of Transition, Challenge and Innovation.” The summit takes place September 6-7 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C. Register online.