Intel details its approach to translating C into safe Rust for DARPA
Intel's IDEAS work for DARPA's TRACTOR program uses AI for translation, kept in check by equivalence testing at every step.
Intel described how it approaches DARPA’s TRACTOR program, which aims to automate translating legacy C code into safe Rust. Its system uses AI models for the core translation, under a tightly controlled strategy. Translated pieces are swapped into the original program one at a time, and translation moves on only when the mixed C and Rust program still passes its tests.
Why it matters for structured intent: translating old code into new languages is one of the clearest uses for lifting intent. Today’s translators check new code against old code. Structured intent proposes checking both against a recovered intent, which survives the migration and serves every future one.
Source: Intel: IDEAS for TRACTOR