Importantly, DARPA also hopes to step up the pace. It's promising "streamlined" processes that will lead to projects starting three months after a funding opportunity shows up, with feasibility becoming clear about 18 months after a team wins its contract. You might not have to wait several years or more just to witness an AI breakthrough.

The industry isn't beholden to DARPA's schedule, of course. It's entirely possible that companies will develop third wave AI as quickly on their own terms. This program could light a fire under those companies, mind you. And if nothing else, it suggests that AI pioneers are ready to move beyond today's 'basic' machine learning and closer to AI that actually thinks instead of merely churning out data.