From Yahoo Finance: 2025-05-02 05:37:00

The US Department of Defense’s AI metals programme, aimed at countering China’s dominance in critical minerals, has been transferred to the Critical Minerals Forum. The programme predicts metal costs to facilitate confident transactions, with membership including major companies like Volkswagen and RTX.

The CMF connects mining projects with investors and manufacturers to secure metal supplies, funded by DARPA until at least 2029. As China restricts critical minerals exports, the CMF’s role in boosting US mines and processing facilities grows in importance, aligning with President Trump’s directive to enhance domestic production.

Despite the fast-tracking of ten mining projects in the US, the AI programme faces skepticism regarding its ability to revolutionize metal trading. Critics, like Ian Lange from the Colorado School of Mines, question the effectiveness of machine learning in predicting metal prices, highlighting ongoing challenges in the industry.

Read more: Pentagon’s critical minerals AI programme transferred to non-profit