Cognitive Electronic Warfare: Using AI to Solve EW Problems

The speaker, Karen, is introduced as an expert in AI robotics, embedded systems, and cognitive systems with a PhD from Carnegie Mellon. The focus is on applying AI to real-world problems, such as assisting individuals with cognitive decline. The seminar delves into cognitive electronic warfare, which involves integrating AI into radio and RF systems, particularly in electronic warfare scenarios. The aim is to explore how AI can address the challenges faced in these areas, with Karen sharing her insights from her book on cognitive electronic warfare and her experiences in the field.

The discussion highlights the relevance of electronic warfare (EW) in daily life, from mass communication disruptions to emergency management and coast guard operations. It emphasizes the increasing significance of RF systems in various domains, including aviation control, where drone incidents have become a significant concern. The seminar addresses the need for effective management of these situations, especially in civilian settings, and the role of AI in enhancing our capabilities in these areas.

Karen outlines the six core concepts of electronic warfare: electronic support, electronic protection, electronic attack, battle damage assessment, and electronic reprogramming. These concepts are crucial for understanding the spectrum of actions within the electromagnetic spectrum. The talk also touches on the challenges of adapting to novel situations in EW, the time-consuming nature of traditional reprogramming, and the potential for AI to revolutionize these processes by enabling faster adaptation and decision-making.

The seminar delves into the unique challenges posed by the ever-changing and complex nature of RF signals and environments. Karen discusses the concept of 'novelty' in EW, where each situation presents new variables, such as weather changes or node movements, that affect signal propagation. The talk also explores the resource constraints of operating in such environments and the need for AI to help manage the heterogeneity and ambiguity inherent in RF systems.

Karen discusses the potential for AI to assist in electronic warfare by addressing issues such as data authenticity, situation assessment, decision-making, and coordination. She emphasizes the need for AI to understand and adapt to the dynamic and complex RF environment, highlighting the importance of data fusion, anomaly detection, and intent recognition. The seminar also touches on the challenges of human-computer interaction and the need for AI to build trust with stakeholders in the RF community.

The talk introduces the concept of cognitive systems in the context of electronic warfare, mapping AI functionalities to EW components. Karen outlines the iterative process of cognitive systems, from data collection to decision-making and learning. She emphasizes the potential of AI in pre-mission planning, battle management, and electronic support, and discusses the importance of human factors in presenting AI insights to human operators. The seminar also addresses the need for AI to understand complex, multi-objective problems in EW and the potential for AI to improve situational awareness and response strategies.

Karen provides a deeper dive into the cognitive EW system, discussing the intricacies of data fusion across platforms and the importance of understanding the credibility of sources. She emphasizes the need for AI to handle low-probability events and the potential for AI to transform the way data is managed and analyzed in EW. The seminar also explores the challenges of assurance in AI systems, the need for clear requirements, and the potential risks associated with AI decision-making in high-stakes situations.

The seminar concludes with a discussion on the transformative potential of AI in RF systems, addressing the misconception that AI is a one-size-fits-all solution. Karen emphasizes the need to understand the current state and desired future state of AI applications in RF systems. She discusses the importance of classification, data fusion, and cognitive assistance in building trust and improving outcomes. The talk also highlights the challenges of testing cognitive EW systems and the need for innovative approaches to simulation and evaluation.

Karen wraps up the seminar by reiterating the significant contributions AI can make to the field of cognitive electronic warfare. She addresses the low-hanging fruit in AI applications and the importance of fostering interactions between the AI and RF communities. The discussion also touches on the need for better testing methods and the potential of AI to handle information uncertainty and complex scenarios. Karen's closing remarks encourage the audience to embrace the possibilities of AI in enhancing cognitive electronic warfare capabilities.