The US Department of Defense has requested $30.3 million over five years to develop an advanced lie detector system called Polygraph+ or Polygraph Next. The program aims to enhance federal polygraph and credibility assessment technologies using artificial intelligence and machine learning, alongside a technique known as standoff sensing, which allows physiological readings without physical contact, according to technologyreview.com.
Details from the budget document reveal that Polygraph+ will focus on improving scoring algorithms to increase the accuracy and reliability of lie detection. The project is managed by the Defense Counterintelligence unit. This initiative follows increased polygraph testing within the Pentagon, notably after leaks about US weapons stockpiles in the Iran conflict led to polygraph tests for around 50 Joint Staff officers, as reported by the New York Times and cited by technologyreview.com.
The Pentagon’s investment in AI-driven lie detection comes amid skepticism about the effectiveness of polygraphs. Kyri Kotsoglou, a law professor at Northumbria University, described such efforts as misguided attempts to simplify complex human behavior. Despite this, the Defense Department is pressing ahead, reflecting heightened internal security concerns and a push to modernize credibility assessments in federal operations, technologyreview.com notes.
The $30.3 million budget request marks a significant federal investment in AI applications for national security. The Defense Counterintelligence unit will oversee the Polygraph+ program, which is planned to span five years, aiming to deliver improved polygraph technologies that do not require physical sensors attached to subjects, as detailed in the Department of Defense budget documents cited by technologyreview.com.