Let's have a conversation
The AI Studio doesn't work through RFPs or BD pipelines, but rather through direct engagement with like-minded individuals solving hard problems or facing operational challenges that need technical solutions.
Contact Form
If you're an operator, technologist, researcher, or industry partner who sees alignment with what we do, we want to hear from you today!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DAF-Stanford AI Studio?
We are a specialized hybrid organization of Department of the Air Force (DAF) operators and Stanford University researchers. Our role is to act as a catalyst and connector, taking high-level AI research and grounding it in operational reality to deliver scalable autonomy for the Air Force and Space Force.
Is The AI Studio an official Air Force unit or a Stanford lab
We are a mutual collaboration. While we are staffed by DAF personnel and integrated into the academic ecosystem at Stanford, we operate between the two. This allows us to move faster than traditional military bureaucracies while maintaining a sharper focus on mission-fielding and a direct pipeline to academia than a standard research lab.
How is The AI Studio different from other DoD innovation hubs?
Most innovation hubs focus on procurement (“how to buy”). We focus on “what to build.” We prioritize technical depth over procurement expertise. Our value is measured by Wins Above Replacement (WAR), focusing on complex, technically demanding projects that would not exist without our specific intervention and first-principles analysis.
Do I need to be an expert in government contracting to work with you?
No. In fact, we prefer to filter for technical competence rather than procurement knowledge. If you have a brilliant technical solution, we will help you navigate through the white noise of the contracting process. We want to hear from engineers and researchers, as well as those in need of the technology the former are building!
When is the right time to reach out?
For Operators: When you have a clear operational problem that requires AI or autonomy to scale, but you lack the technical pipeline to build it.
For Academics: When you have interdisciplinary research that needs a demonstrable, high-impact application and a source of mission-aligned funding.
For Industry: When you have a concrete, technically-led pitch that challenges current assumptions or solves a core problem in our three research verticals.