Kristen Smith 
Artificial intelligence must move beyond cloud-based architectures and closer to operational environments to support real-time decision-making in contested and connectivity-limited settings, according to Roopa Vasan, director of AI and autonomy for Leidos’ defense sector.
In an opinion piece published by Leidos on Friday, Vasan said mission environments such as disaster zones and battlefields often lack the bandwidth and reliability required for cloud-dependent AI systems.
The Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Digital Transformation Summit, scheduled for April 22, will highlight how agencies and industry are deploying advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, in real-world operational environments. Register now.
Why Does AI Need to Operate at the Edge?
She pointed to scenarios like search and rescue operations, where AI systems must analyze data and act immediately without relying on remote processing.
Cloud-based models, she noted, depend on stable connectivity and data transfer speeds that are often unavailable during such missions. This necessitates embedding AI capabilities directly into platforms such as drones, sensors and tactical systems to enable on-the-spot analysis and response.
How Is Leidos Approaching Edge AI?
Leidos has developed an integrated approach to edge AI that combines localized processing with coordinated data sharing across systems.
Its Adaptive Edge capability enables AI models to run directly on mission platforms, allowing systems to process and prioritize data in real time. Complementing this, the Collaborative Autonomy Framework and Extension, or CAFE, manages how critical information is distributed across connected systems to maintain coordination even when networks are degraded or disrupted.
Together, the technologies are designed to support autonomous decision-making while ensuring key insights are shared across distributed operations.
How Does This Align With Broader AI Efforts at Leidos?
The focus on operational AI reflects Leidos’ broader strategy to deploy mission-ready AI capabilities across defense and federal environments.
The company has expanded its AI ecosystem through partnerships with organizations such as OpenAI, Trustible and Dropzone AI to integrate generative, agentic and autonomous technologies into real-world applications, including cybersecurity operations and mission systems.
These efforts emphasize practical deployment, governance and scalability of AI in environments where reliability, security and speed are critical.
