Members of the 96th Test Wing collaborated during the Air Force Test Center Data Hackathon on August 16 near Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The objective of the event was to focus on AI modeling for enhancing test plan creation. The Hackathon involved the participation of approximately 40 Air Force personnel from Arnold, Edwards, and Eglin AFBs, both on-site and remotely. The event was captured in a photo by Samuel King Jr. , U. S. Air Force. EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Air Force Test Center's recent Data Hackathon concluded on August 18. The focus of this iteration was to explore the utilization of generative AI models along with existing test documentation in order to improve various test processes. The Hackathon had two main goals: to demonstrate the practical application of generative AI in a business context and to establish a knowledge base to support the ongoing implementation of these models.

The primary challenge faced by the Air Force in utilizing generative AI lies in the limitation of using only publicly releasable data. Moreover, when prompting a generative AI like ChatGPT, the prompts can only contain unclassified information. However, the Hackathon successfully hosted six different open-source generative AI models in a secure environment, allowing for the usage of controlled unclassified information that pertains specifically to flight test context. A total of approximately 44 Airmen, civilians, and contractors from Arnold, Edwards, and Eglin Air Force Bases, as well as the Air Force Test and Evaluation Center and Air Mobility Command, participated remotely as teams in the AFWERX-sponsored Hackathon, which spanned four days. On the final day, the teams presented their findings to the entire group. Maj. Riley Livermore, Autonomy, Data, and AI Experimentation, commented, "The concept of using AI modeling has the potential to revolutionize the planning and reporting phases of test. More importantly, the potential we are uncovering here is applicable across the DAF. "