In short
DSO has no office-wide rule on AI. Its current Office-wide BAA says nothing about AI use by proposers. Some individual DSO solicitations do address it. The DSO Pitch Day announcement (DARPA-PA-26-01) asks proposers to state on the cover sheet whether they used AI tools and which ones. It also asks them to cite AI-assisted content. DARPA says this answer is not used in evaluation. Applicants should check the cover sheet and instructions of the specific solicitation they are answering.
Varies by program. The rule is set in each program's guidelines, so check the one you are applying to.
For applicants
- In DSO solicitations that include the question (for example DSO Pitch Day, DARPA-PA-26-01), applicants must answer on the cover sheet whether they used AI tools to help prepare the proposal. If they did, they must name the tools. [1]
- Content that came from an AI tool, whether it generated information, aided technical understanding, or guided the technical work, should be cited. The bibliography entry should name the tool, the content, and the purpose. [1]
- DARPA states that the AI-use answer will not be used for evaluation. Proposals are evaluated against the stated criteria whether or not AI tools were used. [1]
For reviewers
DARPA - Defense Sciences Office has published no rules for reviewers.
Sources
Program Announcement for DSO Pitch Day Solicitation (DARPA-PA-26-01) (opens in a new tab)
DARPA is interested in whether, and to what extent, proposers are using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to contribute to the Abstract and PDP submitted in response to this solicitation.
Did you use AI tools to assist in preparing this proposal?
Any content in the Abstract and PDP that utilized an AI tool to generate information, assist in technical understanding, or guide the technical work should have a citation and a corresponding reference in the Bibliography section of the Abstract or PDP.
Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the Evaluation Criteria outlined in this solicitation and the invitation to submit a final PDP regardless of whether AI tools were employed.
This page summarizes what the funder has published and is not legal advice. Policies change, and one solicitation can add its own rules. Confirm against the funding announcement before you apply.