The Pentagon wants $30M to build an AI-powered lie detector (www.technologyreview.com)

The Pentagon is seeking $30.3 million over the next five years to develop an advanced AI-infused lie detection system, dubbed “Polygraph+,” aimed at enhancing the accuracy of polygraphs. This initiative will incorporate AI and machine learning to analyze physiological data through a technique known as “standoff sensing,” which enables data collection without direct contact. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency plans to use this technology to vet employees and detect potential insider threats amid rising tensions regarding information leaks within the Department of Defense. While the endeavor seeks to modernize polygraph technology, experts are skeptical about its effectiveness. Traditional polygraphs, which have largely remained unchanged since their inception in the 1920s, have been criticized for their unreliable results, often leading to false accusations and subjective interpretations. AI’s potential to recognize complex patterns in physiological responses could improve detection accuracy by integrating multiple data sources; however, given the historical failures of various lie detection methods, researchers caution that without a clear "ground truth" linking physiological signals to deception, Polygraph+ may end up being another speculative tool rather than a reliable scientific approach.