The UND Summit brings out top governments and technology leaders to discuss the role of AI and autonomous systems in defense, industry and society
UND, in collaboration with IEEE-USA, recently held the Innovation, Workforce and Research Conference on AI & Autonomy (IWRC) at the Memorial Union in Grand Forks.
The September 10th year-round summit brought leaders from government, industry and academia to address the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems in defense, industry and society.
Fireplace chat with DARPA
The highlight of the program was a fireside chat featuring Andrew ArmaCost and Phillip Smith, program managers for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency or DARPA's Tactical Technology Office. (“Economists call DARPA “the agency that shaped the modern world” and features technologies such as the “modern Covid-19 vaccine.” Weather satellites, GPS, drones, drones, stealth technology, voice interfaces, personal computers, and the Internet allow DARPA to claim at least partial credit.
The Smith and Almacost discussion examined the challenges and opportunities of applying AI to national defense and logistics.
Smith emphasized the complexity of designing autonomy that really serves human beings, and humans don't even know what they want – that's really difficult.”
ArmaCost highlighted the role of UND as a hub for aerospace and technological innovation, combining research with workforce development to meet the country's strategic needs.
Famous voices and sessions
The agenda featured high levels of contributions from national and local leaders, including:
- Senator Kevin Kramer spoke about North Dakota's role in defense and technology policy.
- Eric Lamb of the Air Force Research Institute outlined collaborative research across consciousness in hypersonics, microelectronics, energy and space domains.
- Panel on Air & Space's autonomy, ground autonomy, education and workforce, and small business issues. It features experts from MITER (a nonprofit organization that administers federally funded research centers), Kratos Defense, Grand Farm, Northrop Grumman, and The Small Business Administration.
- Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochensky emphasized his emphasis on Grand Forks' leadership.
North Dakota declares “autonomy week”
Recognizing the importance of automation and AI for the state's future, North Dakota officially declared September 8-13 as Autonomy Week. The IWRC event was a gathering of anchors. Participants were also invited to Autonomous Country 2025, hosted by Grand Farm on September 11th, focusing on autonomous agricultural uses.
Local and national influences
The event attracted representatives from small businesses, federal agencies, research universities, and players from major industries such as Northrop Grumman and Gener8Tor 1889.
Mark Askelson of UND's Vice President of Research – National Security has closed the summit by highlighting collaboration. “By bringing together stakeholders in government, industry and academia, the summit will spark new partnerships, shape national policies and prepare the workforce for the future of AI-self-government and autonomy,” he said.
About IEEE-USA IWRC
IEEE, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, is the world's largest technical expert organization dedicated to advance technology for the benefit of humanity.
IEEE-USA's Innovation, Workforce and Research Council (IWRC) is designed to accelerate the national technology ecosystem. Grand Forks' AI & Autonomy Summit highlights the growth of North Dakota's role as a national leader in unmanned systems, aerospace and AI.
