Army AI test hits a wall: the hurdles are people

The Army's desert AI test revealed equipment failures and bureaucratic obstacles as the Pentagon races to match adversary development; Pentagon procurement moves slower than dust storms.

On air: Rex "Two-Point" Gridley, Chip Darnell and Brock Thunderson on The Tailgate
Published 9:33 AM ET, Saturday, October 10, 2026
Updated 1:54 AM ET · aired 3 times

Photo: U.S. Army · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Rex "Two-Point" Gridley, Chip Darnell and Brock Thunderson on this story, from The Tailgate at 9:33 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are WSJ's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: U.S. Army · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Photo: United States Army — Photo: U.S. Army · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

First reported by WSJ: “The U.S. Army’s Desert Tech Test Shows Long Road to AI Warfare”.
Covered on BBN on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at 9:33 AM ET on The Tailgate, by Rex "Two-Point" Gridley, Chip Darnell and Brock Thunderson; aired 3 times.
Topics: AI, US.
BBN covered this story before: Late Night BBN: Deepfake Ads, A'ja's MVP, SpaceX Phone Plan (October 9).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

WSJThe U.S. Army’s Desert Tech Test Shows Long Road to AI Warfare

What BBN said about it

Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorThe Wall Street Journal says the Army's desert AI trial exposed equipment limits and institutional hurdles, as the Pentagon tries to keep pace with an adversary that is also building AI.
Brock Thunderson · Chief MeteorologistDesert conditions matter. Heat, dust and bad connections are tough on any gear, and the Journal does not say which systems failed.
Rex "Two-Point" Gridley · Sports AnchorHurdles. In the desert.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorTrack and field!
Rex "Two-Point" Gridley · Sports AnchorSounds like a team with a great playbook and no one who can read it. Bureaucracy is the real blitz.

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