The defense industry and the tech industry go hand-in-hand in many ways. As technology continues to evolve, the defense industry must shift its focus. The development of artificial intelligence and data analytics stands to have a large and long-lasting impact on the defense industry in 2021.
Military Operations Will Change
It has been predicted that AI technology will heavily impact United States military operations. Other countries have been steadily working to further close the tech gap between the U.S. military and their militaries. Because of this, jobs in the defense industry are booming.
In return, the U.S. military is looking into developing even more AI processes. There is potential for some change in the U.S. munitions and decision processes. In essence, the Department of Defense will use it to further compliment the existing military. Personnel and AI robotics will work together, even side-by-side.
The biggest change for military personnel will be the use of AI sensors. This will make it possible to provide surveillance without using physical manpower. It can also help detect threats to the troops. However, when it comes to the defense industry as a whole, there will be a need for people who are knowledgeable about AI. Military training will look different too, as AI will begin to play a more key role.
Focus Placed on Areas of Weakness
There has also been some talk of how AI might be implemented in the military to help support areas of weakness as well as strength. In other industries that have incorporated tech into their daily activities, using AI to cover your weak areas and focusing on what you do best seems to be a common theme.
In the defense industry, it has been predicted that this will ring true as well, but they will also use it to complement strengths. This will keep the Department of Defense competitive as far as other countries and increased its advantage all around.
Contractors Will Take a Hit
Federal contractors will take the biggest hit as analytics and AI continue to impact the defense industry in 2021. At first, as mentioned above, AI will be used to enhance military processes. Eventually, it will be used to replace them in the long-term. In the very near future, however, contractors will need to learn how to use the software and equipment being introduced.
More often than not, the Department of Defense is partnering with big robotics companies to develop these systems, not contractors. While this will help reduce the cost for the DoD overall, it will hurt contractors. To help avoid that, contractors can try to use their existing knowledge of the industry to leverage themselves in a better position for the contract. Overall, contractors will need to be more innovative, adaptable to change and invest in learning new technologies as they become available.
Working with a staffing agency can also help partner contractors with federal jobs. See how the Staffing Resource Group can assist you in finding a position to match your skill set and career goals.
