US Defense Department building its own AI marketplaceUS Defense Department building its own AI marketplace

Tradewind Solutions Marketplace launches in 2023

The U.S. Department of Defense is working on a marketplace platform that lets companies, universities and other government agencies pitch AI solutions to problems related to military endeavors.

The DoD’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) is seeking comments from industry and academia on how best to shape the ‘Tradewind Solutions Marketplace.’

Tradewind would allow DoD organizations to search, review, compare and contrast data, analytics and AI/ML capabilities. Users could then use the platform to negotiate and procure the solution.

Those looking to comment have until Sept. 30 to submit responses.

The Tradewind website went live in August but the marketplace itself is not set to launch until the first quarter of fiscal 2023, as first reported by FedScoop.

The inception of Tradewind dates back to 2021 when the DoD's former Joint Artificial Intelligence Center tasked the Indiana Innovation Institute (IN3) with creating a method of easing the acquisition of AI technologies for the military.

The platform would likely be used as part of the Defense Department’s plans to spend $1.5 billion on AI over the next five years.

The Senate Appropriations bill for the U.S. Department of Defense's 2022-2023 budget also contains a $200 million provision covering AI for improving the U.S. military’s tactical capabilities.