A view from AFIT's Kenney Hall where The Wright Patt Data, Analytics, and AI Forum (WP DAAF) was held in June 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo)

The Wright Patt Data, Analytics, and AI Forum (WP DAAF), a zero-budget initiative on June 4, 2025, united nearly 600 registered attendees from across the Air Force and Space Force, proving that ingenuity and collaboration are the ultimate force multipliers. Planned in a mere two months, fueled by the unwavering dedication of 30 volunteers from the Air Force Institute of Technology, Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Materiel Command, and Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, the forum became a testament to the power of "how can I help?" This is the story of how they did it, and why it matters. 

The success of the WP DAAF wasn't just a matter of luck; it was the direct result of the planning team's tireless efforts and unwavering commitment. These volunteers, drawn from AFIT, AFRL, AFMC, and AFLCMC, met weekly, pouring hours into organizing every detail, from securing speakers and coordinating logistics to designing promotional materials and managing registrations – all without a dedicated budget – in addition to their regular duties. Their resourcefulness shone through in every aspect of the event, leveraging existing resources, calling in favors, and finding creative solutions to overcome obstacles.  

The forum was more than a conference; it was a crucible of innovation. After a welcome from Maj. Mark Bateman, Assistant Professor of Systems Engineering within AFIT's Department of Systems Engineering and Management, and opening remarks from Dr. Walter Jones, Director and Chancellor of AFIT, Ms. Susan Davenport, SES, DAF Chief Data and AI Officer, ignited the day with "Strategic Thoughts," a video emphasizing data and AI's pivotal role in modern warfare.  

The technical sessions then plunged into the heart of the matter: 

• Imagine: The Aircraft Metrics Analysis Tool (AMAT) that melds classical methods with machine learning, giving analysts unprecedented insights.  
• Envision: The DAF MS&A Gateway, standardizing data management to build resilient, open architectures. 
• Witness: The System Video Analyzer Tool dissecting MH-139A Greywolf testing, extracting critical performance data. 
• Picture: The Whole-system Analysis and Simulation Portal (WASP), enabling rapid analysis and simulation for proactive decision-making. 

Later, Dr. Demica Ware, Technical Director of Air, Space, and Cyberspace Operations for AFMC, delivered an AFMC Keynote, unveiling strategic visions for the future. 

The forum underscored critical themes: 

• Data Privacy as a Paramount Concern: The spotlight shone on secure, privacy-preserving AI solutions, particularly essential in defense applications. 
• Generative AI as an Imperative: Sessions revealed Generative AI's potential to reshape Air Force operations, from communication to document processing. 
• Human-AI Teaming as the Key to Success: The emphasis on understanding human workflows and integrating AI seamlessly highlighted the necessity of human-centered AI. 
• Simulation as a Strategic Advantage: Presentations illuminated the power of modeling and simulation in analyzing complex systems and predicting future outcomes. 

The lunch break buzzed with a poster session, where 17 innovative research projects from AFIT and beyond were on display. Imagine: Low Dimensional Material Classification Using Machine Learning and Contract Quality Feature Extraction Using LLM. These weren't just academic exercises; they were glimpses into the future. 

A poster session during the event lunch break highlighted innovative research projects at AFIT and beyond. (U.S. Air Force photo) 

A forum about data, analytics and AI wouldn’t be complete without analyzing the event data. Here’s the forum, by the numbers: The registered attendee demographics reflected the strong interest from across the Air Force, with particularly high attendance from AFMC (186). AFRL (134) also had a strong showing, highlighting the importance of data and analytics to the topics discussed. AFIT, AFLCMC, NASIC, and DoD contractors rounded out the remainder of attendees. The sheer breadth of organizations represented by the attendees was astonishing.  

A large success for the event was that it streamed on via AFIT’s YouTube page. Registered attendees were then able to watch most of the presentations as their workday allowed, instead of being on site for the event. The event received 230 unique views of the stream, with a peak of 98 concurrent views, and over 271 hours of total watch time. 

A survey asking attendees about the most beneficial session revealed a wide range of opinions, with no single session standing out as most popular. 

Attendees found value in sessions covering AI applications, WASP, AFMC policies, video analyzer tools, M&S Gateway, model/framework implementation, AMAT, transport aircraft AI, generative AI, physics-limited ML, the future of AI/ML in DAF/AFMC, DART, AFRL's Meta presentation, Envision, and AI architecture. While these sessions were appreciated for diverse reasons like relevance, practical demos, and future-focused content, several respondents expressed a desire for future sessions to include more advanced or classified AI/ML topics, application-focused content, and general business-related AI discussions, potentially with a senior analyst panel. 

The Wright Patt Data, Analytics, and AI Forum was more than a conference; it was a catalyst. The event's success was validated by overwhelmingly positive feedback, with attendees praising the content, TED-style talks, and high level of engagement. It demonstrated that resourcefulness, collaboration, and a "mission first, no excuses" attitude can drive remarkable innovation. This event wasn't just about sharing knowledge; it was about forging a future where the Air Force and Space Force lead the way in the digital age. It proves that the most potent weapon in the arsenal isn't always the most expensive—it's the dedication, ingenuity, and collaborative spirit of those who serve.

AFIT is located at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. AFIT’s mission is to educate defense professionals to innovatively accomplish the deterrence and warfighting missions of the USAF and USSF. AFIT’s vision is to lead defense-focused education, research and consultation to accelerate military superiority across all domains and is accomplished through operationally relevant advanced academic education, research, and professional continuing education. For more information, please visit the AFIT webpage https://www.afit.edu/. To learn more about AFIT's Artificial Intelligence Technology Research and Education Consortium (AI TREC), please visit https://www.afit.edu/AITREC/.

Article reprinted with permission from Ms. Amanda Javorina, CTR, Senior Technical Writer, AFRL/IZO.