The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), in partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), has released a Request for Information (RFI) for the AI Forge Program. This initiative seeks to identify the capabilities of U.S. universities that can contribute to next-generation artificial intelligence research focused on critical national security challenges.
AI Forge is designed to bring together government, academia, and industry to accelerate foundational AI research in areas that are increasingly important to defense and security applications. The program aims to establish a durable research ecosystem that combines university expertise with the advanced capabilities of frontier AI companies to advance more reliable, controllable, and resilient AI systems.
The RFI represents an early step in program development and will be used to identify universities capable of participating in future AI Forge research efforts.
AI Forge Program Overview
AI Forge is focused on three strategic thrust areas that DARPA has identified as critical to the future adoption and operationalization of advanced AI systems:
AI Interpretability
AI interpretability focuses on improving understanding of how AI systems make decisions and generate outputs. Research in this area aims to increase transparency, trust, and operator confidence, particularly for AI systems deployed in high-stakes national security environments.
AI Control
AI control seeks to ensure that AI systems remain aligned with human intent and operate predictably under a range of conditions. This thrust area focuses on methods for governing, monitoring, and managing increasingly capable AI systems throughout their lifecycle.
Adversarial Robustness
Advancing techniques that protect AI systems against manipulation, cyber threats, and other adversarial attacks that could compromise performance or reliability.
To support these efforts, AI Forge plans to execute university-led “Project Ventures” focused on solving Critical AI Challenges for National Security. DARPA anticipates these projects will range from approximately $750,000 to $3 million or more and last up to one year, with multiple awards expected annually.
The RFI is directed exclusively toward U.S. universities, including military service academies. Universities are asked to describe their AI research expertise, computing infrastructure, national security partnerships, and technology transition experience. Each institution may submit only one authorized response. Universities should also note that future Project Venture intellectual property is expected to be shared among forum participants, preferably through open-source licensing approaches.
Submission Deadline
Responses to the program are due June 22, 2026 by 5:00 PM ET
Additional Information
AI Forge reflects a coordinated effort by DARPA, NSF, and NIST to advance foundational AI research for national security. By connecting universities, frontier AI companies, and government stakeholders, the program aims to accelerate progress in AI interpretability, control, and adversarial robustness while creating pathways for future operational use.
If your company is considering applying for federal funding, your journey starts here. EverGlade is a national advisory firm helping innovators navigate the federal funding ecosystem. We support companies across the funding lifecycle, from early-stage strategy through proposal development, negotiations, and post-award execution, connecting breakthrough innovation with non-dilutive funding.
For additional information, schedule a free consultation with our team.
