FAST Act

This bill lets the Department of Defense buy software and data by subscription (like “as a service”) or as one-time purchases to build and run artificial intelligence tools for military needs. It also lets the department modify software and do research, development, testing, and evaluation to make these AI systems work well. The department can use any funds it already has for this purpose and must set rules for how these purchases and changes are overseen.

Key points

• Who is affected: The Department of Defense and companies that sell software and data, including AI tools and services.
• What changes: DoD can buy software and data as subscriptions or one-time buys, modify software, and fund AI research and testing; it must also issue regulations for oversight.
• What it covers: AI systems that do tasks like learning, decision-making, and problem-solving; it defines “software as a service” and “data as a service/supply” to clarify what can be bought.
• When: Takes effect once enacted and regulations are issued or updated by the department.

For communities and workers, this could mean more contracting opportunities for tech vendors and faster adoption of AI tools inside the military, guided by oversight rules to manage how software and data are bought and used.