The U.S. military is increasing use of AI technology that will fundamentally alter the nature of war. The Pentagon is intent on fielding multiple thousands of relatively inexpensive, expendable AI-enabled autonomous vehicles by 2026 to keep pace with China. There is little dispute among scientists, industry experts and Pentagon officials that the U.S. will within the next few years have fully autonomous lethal weapons.
One domain where AI-assisted tools are tracking potential threats is space. The U.S aims to keep pace with China who envisions using AI on satellites. Elsewhere, AI’s predictive powers help the Air Force keep its fleet aloft, anticipating the maintenance needs of more than 2,600 aircraft including B-1 bombers and Blackhawk helicopters. Further, in Ukraine, AI provided by the Pentagon and its NATO allies helps thwart Russian aggression.
