The U.S. Army is partnering with EdgeRunner AI to equip military robots with an onboard AI system that can think, read the environment, and keep operating even after losing all contact with human operators.
Working with the Army Research Laboratory, the company has created a neural network that runs entirely on the robot itself. No cloud connection or internet is required, allowing the machines to function in jammed or denied environments where communications drop out.
Paired with aerial drones, the AI helps robots plan alternate routes, detect explosives, haul ammunition, scout ahead, and report enemy activity. The combination is designed to give warfighters clearer situational awareness on the battlefield.
EdgeRunner founder and CEO Tyler Saltsman described robots as the next frontier of AI, essentially far-edge devices that now carry their own brain. He stressed the technology must be mission-specific rather than the overly generalized AI available today.
Saltsman warned that relying on systems like Starlink creates real risk because it can broadcast a unit’s location to the enemy. When jamming cuts off human control, the onboard AI is meant to keep the mission going on its own.
