Latent AI Selected for Department of Defense APFIT Program to Advance Edge AI Capabilities

Award Builds on Success of Project AMMO, Highlighting DoD's Agile Approach to Technology Adoption

PRINCETON, N.J., April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Latent AI, a leader in edge AI solutions for national security and defense, today announced its selection by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) for the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT) program.

This award builds on Latent AI's pioneering work with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the U.S. Navy in Project Accelerated Machine Learning Operations for Maritime Operations (AMMO), which slashed AI model update times from months to days—an 18x improvement— using MLOps (Machine Learning Operations) tools such as the Latent AI Efficient Inference Platform (LEIP). Initially launched to enhance naval mine countermeasures, Project AMMO empowered warfighters to adapt AI models in the field, proving the power of edge AI for rapid, real-time decision-making in contested environments.

Latent AI joins Domino Data Lab, the prime contractor, Weights and Biases, Fiddler, and Arize in this landmark initiative. The award evenly allocates funding across the five companies to advance edge AI technologies for defense applications.

"The APFIT program marks a pivotal step in our mission to deliver trusted edge AI to warfighters," said Neal Byrd, Federal Vice President at Latent AI. "It extends the groundbreaking success of Project AMMO, where we collaborated with the DIU and Navy to reduce model update times from months to days, enabling sailors to process and adapt data on-site for faster, more effective responses. This award underscores the DoD's recognition of optimized edge AI as essential for tactical advantage."

The APFIT program reflects the DoD's dedication to integrating innovative technologies through agile processes, with the DIU driving rapid procurement and deployment of commercial solutions. Latent AI's role emphasizes the rising significance of edge computing and AI optimization in modern defense strategies, especially in connectivity- and resource-constrained environments.

"This award affirms our commitment to bringing efficient, adaptable AI to the tactical edge," said Jags Kandasamy, CEO and Co-founder of Latent AI. "Project AMMO proved our technology's value in military operations, and APFIT will enable us to scale these capabilities for critical defense needs—unlocking new opportunities within the DoD and beyond."

"Project AMMO showcased how optimized edge AI can revolutionize battlefield capabilities," said Retired Admiral Doug Small, former Project AMMO leader and Strategic Advisor to Latent AI. "Latent AI's ability to compress, optimize, and deploy reliable AI models in resource-limited settings is what sets them apart. Their APFIT selection validates both the technology and the agile, iterative approach to capability deployment we championed with DIU."

Visit https://latentai.com/industry/defense/ for more information about Latent AI's federal solutions and check out the additional resources:

• Read the blog Edge AI at the tactical frontier: Our APFIT program commitment
• Check out the case study on Project AMMO
• Watch Rear Adm. (Ret.) Doug Small discuss the critical need for edge AI in defense

About Latent AI
Latent AI delivers edge AI solutions that enable rapid deployment of artificial intelligence capabilities on any device. Founded in 2018, the company's developer platform helps government and commercial organizations implement efficient, secure AI solutions at the edge. Latent AI's tools enable developers to build and update secure, adaptive models for field or laboratory use, serving defense and commercial customers. For more information, visit latentai.com.

SOURCE Latent AI