The U.S. Air Force on Wednesday publicly confirmed the first successful dogfight between a fighter jet piloted by artificial intelligence (AI) and a human-piloted aircraft.

The AI-versus-human dogfight was carried out as part of the Air Combat Evolution (ACE) program that the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) launched in 2019. The Air Force conducted the AI dogfights at Edwards Air Force Base in California, the home base of the 412th Test Wing.

The dogfight pitted a manned F-16 against the X-62A VISTA (Variable In-flight Simulator Test Aircraft), an experimental variant of the F-16, and leveraged live AI agents that were installed in the X-62A less than a year before.

“The potential for autonomous air-to-air combat has been imaginable for decades, but the reality has remained a distant dream up until now,” Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall said in a press release. “In 2023, the X-62A broke one of the most significant barriers in combat aviation. This is a transformational moment, all made possible by breakthrough accomplishments of the X-62A ACE team.”

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As an initial part of the test, the Air Force explained that flight safety was established using defensive maneuvers before they progressed into “offensive high-aspect nose-to-nose engagements where the dogfighting aircraft got as close as 2,000 feet at 1,200 miles per hour.” The release from the Air Force and DARPA didn’t disclose whether the AI or human aircraft prevailed in the dogfight.

Traditional autonomous control of aircraft has been executed for decades, but the Air Force explained that machine learning has historically been prohibited due to high risk and a lack of independent control. Across 21 test flights, the Air Force said teams involved with the test made more than 100,000 lines of flight-critical software changes.

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Test pilots were on board the X-62A and had the ability to disengage the AI, but they didn’t need to activate the safety switch at any time during the dogfights over the Edwards test range, the Air Force said. Lt. Col. Ryan Hefron, ACE program manager for DARPA, said, “We have to be able to trust these algorithms to use them in a real-world setting.”

“The first-ever use of machine-learning-based autonomy in flight-critical systems will serve as a foundation for future aerospace AI advances that are both safer and more reliable in both commercial and defense applications,” the Air Force wrote.

DARPA and the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School will continue to advance testing with machine learning, with the X-62A VISTA serving a variety of research customers and providing academic lessons for future tests and programs.

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“It’s very easy to look at the X-62A ACE program and see it as under autonomous control, it can dogfight, but that misses the point,” said Bill Gray, the Test Pilot School’s chief test pilot. “Dogfighting was the problem to solve so we could start testing autonomous artificial intelligence systems in the air. Every lesson we’re learning applies to every task you could give to an autonomous system.”

The Air Force noted that the ACE program involves collaboration between a variety of partners from government, private industry and academia.

The Air Force Test Center, Air Force Research Laboratory, DARPA and the Air Force Test Pilot School are among the government partners, while academic partners include Johns Hopkins University and MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.

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Calspan Corp., Cubic Corp., EpiSci, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and Shield AI are among the industry partners in the ACE program.

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Jamie Foxx has a renewed appreciation for life after overcoming medical issues last year.

“I’ve learned that life is precious, which is why it’s so important for us to go after what we want,” he told FOX Business.

That desire to not take anything for granted served as an inspiration for his Brown Sugar Blend Whiskey.

“For me, being able to create a brand that brings people together to celebrate life and have fun was the ultimate goal. What more could I ask for? BSB Whiskey far exceeds my expectations. And thanks to WES Brands, I’ve been able to make that long-awaited dream a reality,” he said.

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One year ago, the Academy Award-winning actor suffered a medical complication and has slowly made his way back into the public eye with the support of his friends and family.

“I went through something that I thought I would never, ever go through,” he said in an Instagram post shared in July. “I know a lot of people were waiting, or wanting to hear updates, and to be honest with you – I just didn’t want you to see me like that.”

He became emotional thinking of all the love he received in one of his darkest times and said the last few months have been “tough.”

“I’ve been sick, man, but now, I’ve got my legs under me, so you’re going to see me out,” he said. “I’m here on Earth because of some great people. I’m here on Earth because of God.”

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Now, Foxx is back to work on multiple fronts.

On May 28, he’ll be back co-hosting the seventh season of the FOX game show “Beat Shazam” alongside his daughter, Corinne Foxx. The actor also serves as an executive producer on the series.

Foxx also teased on Instagram that he’s looking into a return to stand-up comedy, writing in a post last month, “Going to get on somebody’s stage somewhere near you. I got some jokes, and a story to tell…”

And added to the busy star’s resume is his work as BSB Whiskey owner and creative director.

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Brown Sugar Blend Whiskey blends – and bottles – its spirits in Columbia, Tennessee, with 70% ABV with a blend of the brown sugar in the name as well as a hint of cinnamon.

The bottle also boasts a unique design, with a sleek, matte black finish and a “BSB” letter patch that glows in the dark to help it stand out in any liquor lineup.

Foxx naturally enjoys the product he put his name behind, telling FOX Business, “BSB is perfect for sipping and ideal for sharing. At its core, it is an inclusive spirit. I enjoy it best in a neat glass while celebrating with friends. BSB, to me, is and will always be best enjoyed in good company.”

Of course, the singer of the drinking anthem “Blame It” has a classic move up his sleeve to avoid hangovers.

“Old-school trick, one cup of water for every cocktail,” he said.

He added, “To cure one? Man, I think sweating it out and hitting the gym is all you can do.”

Foxx had some fun at the piano this week as he dialed into a local Wingstop for chicken wings to complement his BSB Whiskey.

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“Can I get some lemon pepper wings,” he sang to an employee over the phone in a video shared on Instagram. “Can I get 22,000 lemon pepper wings?” While one Wingstop server hung up on him, Foxx hit the right note with another.

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The next call was a success, though, as the employee on the other end sang back to match his order while he indulged in a glass of his alcohol.

FOX Business’ Elizabeth Stanton contributed to this report.

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