The United States Air Force (USAF), through AFWERX and the Department of the Air Force (DAF) Stanford AI Studio, is hosting the Exocortex Air Challenge Definition Workshop. High-tempo flights flood aircrews with complex data, compressed timelines, and heavy cognitive loads. This two-day collaborative workshop gathers experts to define architectures, core components, and cockpit testing protocols for Artificial Intelligence Decision Support Systems (AI-DSS). The goal focuses on augmenting aircrews with intelligent assistance that filters noise, sharpens situational awareness, and accelerates sound decision-making to strengthen national security.
This working session is designed for commercial innovators, academic researchers, and Department of War (DoW) acquisition professionals. While this is not an open pitch showcase, it offers direct access to collaborate alongside operational end users and program officers. Your input will directly shape the upcoming Exocortex Air Challenge solicitation, which will run through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) innovation portal later this year. Attending gives you an early seat at the table to explore practical technology transition pathways for commercial AI into critical aerospace missions.
The workshop runs October 27 to 28, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM PT each day at the San Mateo County Event Center in San Mateo, California. Attendance requires registration by October 21, 2026, at AFWERX Challenge.
