Aptima, Inc., in collaboration with ASEC, is proud to announce the successful completion of Phase II, Option 2 of the Adversarially Learned Inference for Countermeasure Exploitation (ALICE) project, which concluded on September 1, 2024. ALICE is designed to address the growing challenge of countering increasingly sophisticated enemy defenses by leveraging advanced AI and analytics to enhance decision-making for unmanned air systems (UAS).

ALICE: Adversarially Learned Inference for Countermeasure Exploitation

As adversarial defenses and autonomous planning technologies evolve, the ability to counter threats using conventional means is rapidly diminishing. To stay ahead of these advancements, the most effective weapon is the ability to understand enemy capabilities, intentions, vulnerabilities, and responses to unpredictable events. Enter ALICE, an AI-enabled defense coordinator capable of learning from its environment, predicting adversarial moves, and planning optimal courses of action (COAs).

Using the deep active inference framework, ALICE is able to generate probabilistic predictions about adversaries’ actions, adapting its strategy in real-time to ensure mission success while minimizing uncertainty. The system’s objective function, variational free energy, allows ALICE to operate with an unprecedented level of self-awareness and curiosity—traits that are essential for autonomous decision-making in high-stakes environments.

Maximizing Mission Success in Uncertain Environments

ALICE’s capabilities allow it to convert COA generation into a set of iterative probabilistic inference processes, optimizing its understanding of both the mission’s success potential and the adversary’s intentions. This deep integration of AI not only increases the survivability of UAS in contested environments but also enhances overall mission outcomes by dynamically responding to the changing nature of the battlefield.

Anticipated Benefits and Commercial Applications

While ALICE’s initial focus is on addressing the US Navy’s operational needs, its AI-driven decision-making processes have the potential for far-reaching commercial applications. From self-driving vehicles to commercial UAS operations, industries such as Amazon, Google, and even healthcare institutions have explored or implemented drone technology for logistics and delivery solutions. ALICE’s predictive and adaptive capabilities could revolutionize these markets by providing a robust framework for autonomous systems to operate safely and efficiently in dynamic, unpredictable environments.

Aptima remains committed to pushing the boundaries of AI and advanced analytics in defense technologies, ensuring that systems like ALICE continue to shape the future of autonomous mission success.

Aptima’s Artificial Intelligence Technologies Portfolio

ALICE is a member of Aptima’s Artificial Intelligence Technologies (AIT) portfolio of technologies that harnesses the power of cutting-edge AI/ML methods to address the increasingly complex challenges of the future of work. By combining adaptable processes and optimizing resources in the face of uncertainty, AIT endeavors to enhance operational efficiency and human performance. Leveraging generative AI, machine learning, and predictive algorithms, AIT offers solutions in areas such as multi-modal fusion and analytics, adaptive planning, and recommendation systems, all developed with a focus on robustness and modularity for seamless integration into end-user applications.

For more information, please contact aptima_info@aptima.com.

Photo by Sgt. Vincent Levelev/Released