Is the United States losing ground in the space of artificial intelligence as our adversaries speed ahead? That is a conversation underway at the Honolulu Defense Forum happening in Waikīkī this week.
HPR was there Thursday and heard Indo-Pacific Command Adm. Sam Paparo's speech. He stressed the urgency to compete in the AI space to deter the threats from other world leaders.
Major defense contractor Booz Allen Hamilton has had a presence here on the islands for three decades. It employs 600 people — adding 200 in the last year. The company has been priming the workforce pump, looking to develop talent.
Leaders say it is the largest provider of AI services for the U.S. military, and it works closely with the University of Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Pacific University and Chaminade University to build the pipeline to entice Hawaiʻi's best and brightest to enter the defense space.
HPR talked to Senior Vice President Heather Fortuna Bush and Vice President Ed Barnabas about how the military is using AI.
This interview aired on The Conversation on Feb. 14, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
