US Military Wants AI to Spot Liars Better

The US Department of Defense has announced plans to spend $30.3 million over the next five years developing a new kind of lie detector powered by artificial intelligence (AI — computer systems that can learn and make decisions like a human would).

The project, called Polygraph+ or Polygraph Next, goes beyond the traditional polygraph machine you might see in spy movies. Instead of just measuring heart rate and sweat, the new system will use AI algorithms — basically step-by-step instructions that help computers spot patterns — to analyze whether someone is lying. The idea is that AI can recognize subtle signs of deception that humans might miss.

One key feature is something called "standoff sensing," which means the technology could potentially detect lies without the person needing to be physically connected to machines with wires and sensors. This could make the process faster and less invasive.

Why does this matter? For ordinary people, this kind of technology might eventually affect job interviews, security screenings, or legal investigations. The military and government want tools that are more reliable than current methods. However, scientists have long debated whether any lie detector — old or new — can really work accurately, since people's stress responses vary widely.