The Defense Innovation Unit focuses on leveraging technology from six areas: artificial intelligence/machine learning, autonomy, cyber, energy, human systems and space.
"Our Defense Innovation Unit is focused on identifying priority technology areas using faster methods to get that tech into the hands of our warfighters," said Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California in December.
The 2022 National Defense Strategy stated that the department must act because market forces are driving new capabilities that could prove useful, particularly in a confrontation with China.
"To gain and maintain operational advantage over competitors, the DOD requires an order of magnitude increase in its adoption of commercial technologies. To this end, DOD must act as a fast follower, " the NDS states.
In 2022, DIU assisted in transitioning 17 commercial solutions to Defense Department users.