NGA Sounds the Alarm: Speed Up AI or Fall Behind

Pressure Builds in the AI Intelligence Race

The U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is urging the national security community to accelerate the deployment of artificial intelligence technologies or risk strategic disadvantage. NGA Director Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth expressed frustration with the slow pace of AI integration during his remarks at the 2024 GEOINT Symposium. He emphasized that adversaries are quickly adopting AI capabilities, and the U.S. must respond at “machine speed” to maintain its edge in geospatial intelligence. The NGA, which plays a central role in analyzing satellite imagery and geointelligence for military and civilian users, sees AI as a vital tool to process the ever-expanding volume of data and respond faster to global threats.

AI as the New Geospatial Backbone

Whitworth noted that the massive scale of geospatial data—from commercial satellites to drones—requires automation and advanced analytics to transform raw imagery into actionable insight. Current processes, he said, are too reliant on manual interpretation, which obstructs real-time decision-making. To address these gaps, the NGA is investing in systems that can automatically detect, identify, and track objects across vast datasets. But while the agency has made progress, particularly with programs like its Artificial Intelligence and Automation Initiative, Whitworth stressed that faster and broader adoption of AI across agencies is essential. The future of defense intelligence, he asserted, lies in agile, data-informed systems that evolve with emerging threats.