Welcome back. The battlefield has fast-tracked the development of cutting-edge technology for centuries, and artificial intelligence is no exception. The U.S. military is already outpacing the commercial market in efforts to produce advanced AI capabilities, ranging from pilotless jets to driverless tanks, which are likely to spill over into the private sector. All of that activity is catching the eye of some of the world’s wealthiest investors, who are channeling billions of dollars into AI ventures large and small.

The Pentagon is pushing to increase the U.S. military’s use of automation, a move that is set to accelerate the development of AI capabilities that will eventually find their way into civilian life, from commercial airlines to ocean cruises, Andy Pasztor reports for the Journal. 

Air, ground and sea. Military applications of AI include cockpits managed primarily by computers, driverless tanks and automated aerial-refueling tankers, among others.

Risky business. Skeptics worry that a lack of outside scrutiny may lead to costly mistakes, such as software glitches that have deprived fighter pilots of adequate oxygen.

Syria’s near decade-long conflict has generated millions of videos, photos and social-media posts that the United Nations and European authorities hope can be mined by AI to identify war criminals and bring them to justice, the Journal's Raja Abdulrahim reports. 

Weapons search. Object-recognition tools are being used to find all data relevant to a specific illegal weapon, helping authorities build a case in international court against its misuse.

Insight Partners, a New York-based private-equity firm focused on advanced technology deals, says it plans to pitch its next flagship fund with a goal of at least $12 billion, the Journal reports.

Big spenders. Insight provides between $10 million and $350 million of equity for tech companies, including software and AI developers, across a range of capital structures that span venture rounds to larger buyouts of public companies.

Early adopter. Since 1995, the firm has invested in more than 400 companies and has raised more than $30 billion in capital commitments.

Pandemic effect. Across the board, investors spent $65.17 billion in 2020 on 2,138 private-equity deals with U.S.-based IT companies, far outpacing investments in any other sector, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Join us on March 31 for the WSJ Pro AI Forum, with panel discussions and interviews with corporate thought leaders, case studies, breakout groups and more. Topics will include reinventing the supply chain, AI in medicine and the revolution in tech regulation. More information is available here.

Biotech startup raises $19 million. BigHat Biosciences Inc., a San Carlos, Calif-based venture, develops AI software designed to speed up the development of antibodies used in treatments for cancer and other conditions. (WSJ)

Stroke therapy device gets FDA nod. Israeli startup BrainQ, which is developing an AI-powered device to reduce disability after a stroke, was given a Breakthrough Device designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, potentially speeding up the development and clearance process. (The Jerusalem Post) 

I am not a robot, am I? Technologists and ethicists have started to explore the form and meaning of a Turing-like test for ethical AI, in a bid to determine if self-learning machines are thinking for themselves or simply following orders. (Forbes) 

Nissan denies talks with Apple. Nissan Motor Co Ltd. is not in talks with Apple Inc. about collaborating on an autonomous car project, the automaker said Monday, following reports of a partnership. (Reuters) 

Facebook is building a smartwatch. The social media giant is aiming to start selling the device next year, saying the watch will enable send messages on Facebook apps and offer health and fitness advice. (The Information)

Talk with the animals. Researchers at Imperial College London developing an AI chatbot designed to decipher alien languages, including the sounds and songs of animals, are running tests aimed at translating the vocalizations of sperm whales. (The Daily Sun) 

How to lose at chess. Cornell University researchers are working on chess-playing AI software, known as Maia, that can predict opponents’ mistakes and learn fallibility, a move aimed at improving the way computers interact with humans. (Wired) 

Automating bad decisions. Using a series of AI-enabled online games, researchers at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation say they have created an application that can detect an opponent’s choice patterns and trick them into making bad decisions later in the game. (ZDNet) 
  
Rise of the robot cosmeticians. L’Oreal, Lancome and other cosmetics makers are in a race to develop advanced-software tools and devices, including 3D-printed makeup, augmented reality samples,  and AI-enhanced shade and style matching apps. (Elle Magazine) 

Computer-simulated Mulligans. Golf-club maker Srixon has unveiled a set of irons created by running designs through thousands of AI-enabled simulations of real-world golf shots. (Golf.com) 

Microsoft Corp. said the U.S. should copy Australia’s controversial proposal that tech companies pay newspapers for content—putting it at odds with Google and Facebook. (WSJ)

Parler, the social network popular with conservatives, has come back online after going dark when some tech companies withdrew their services in the wake of the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol. (WSJ)

An executive at Tencent, China’s most valuable publicly listed company, has been held by Chinese authorities, part of a probe into a high-profile corruption case involving one of the country’s former top law-enforcement officials. (WSJ)

Write to Enterprise Technology Editor Steven Rosenbush and Pro AI Deputy Editor Angus Loten.

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