HII and C3 AI Partner to Enhance US Navy Shipbuilding with AI

HII, America’s largest military shipbuilder, and C3 AI, the leading Enterprise AI application software company, have announced a strategic partnership to expand digital technologies and apply artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate shipbuilding throughput at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding and Ingalls Shipbuilding divisions.

Increasing shipbuilding throughput is a critical priority for HII and the U.S. Navy. HII CEO Chris Kastner emphasized, “We’re proud to partner with C3 AI to leverage data and digital capabilities like artificial intelligence in the urgent work of delivering ships to the U.S. Navy.”

C3 AI is committed to teaming with HII to maintain the nation’s maritime industrial dominance through the adoption of next-generation shipbuilding technologies. Thomas M. Siebel, chairman and CEO of C3 AI, stated, “By deploying Enterprise AI across planning, operations, and the supply chain, we are powering a modern, intelligent infrastructure to ensure America’s edge in naval readiness.”

HII is broadening an existing partnership with C3 AI to integrate AI solutions across its shipbuilding operations, including in the areas of planning, operations, supply chain, and labor allocation. These efforts aim to accelerate production and support the U.S. Navy’s fleet readiness needs. The collaboration will also explore opportunities in uncrewed vehicle production and sustainment.

The partnership builds on a six-month initial Enterprise AI production deployment program conducted at Ingalls Shipbuilding. Shipbuilding teams leveraged complex algorithms to adjust and optimize work schedules, demonstrating significant improvements in schedule performance. This initial deployment, powered by the C3 Agentic AI Platform, will now be scaled across HII shipyards.

Initial efforts will focus on leveraging AI to enhance planning and scheduling at HII’s two shipbuilding divisions: Ingalls Shipbuilding, which builds amphibious ships and destroyers for the U.S. Navy; and Newport News Shipbuilding, which constructs U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and nuclear-powered submarines for the U.S. Navy.

This alliance marks a significant milestone in the digitization of America’s defense industrial base and reflects the commitment of both companies to strengthening U.S. naval capabilities through innovation.