From the Iran War to the Internet: The Pentagon–Tech Link

The United States military’s use of artificial intelligence tools in the ongoing war with Iran has drawn attention to a decades-long relationship between the Pentagon and the technology sector.

While AI is the latest technology being integrated into military operations, cooperation between the U.S. defense establishment, universities and private companies has played a key role in developing technologies that later became part of everyday life.

According to U.S. officials, AI systems are currently being used to analyze large volumes of data quickly, helping commanders process information and make decisions faster during military operations. But this collaboration between the military and technology companies is far from new.

During the Cold War, a U.S. military-funded research project known as ARPANET created one of the first computer networks, which later evolved into the modern internet.

Another widely used technology, GPS, was developed by the U.S. military in the 1970s to improve navigation and precision targeting before eventually becoming available for civilian use.

Even earlier examples date back to World War II, when IBM developed computing machines to help calculate ballistic trajectories.

Throughout the Cold War and Vietnam War era, technology companies in early Silicon Valley worked with the Pentagon to build radar systems, communications equipment and missile guidance technologies.

Today, partnerships between the military and major technology companies continue as artificial intelligence becomes an increasingly important tool in defense operations.