Guest post by John Adams at Real Clear Wire
To Win the Next War, the Pentagon Must Make AI Its Strongest Technological Ally
This Veterans Day is a reminder that our armed services have earned the title of the world’s most lethal fighting force. Through blood, sweat, and bravery, America’s military has dominated the past 250 years of combat. But winning wars in the next century will require the defense community to stop treating AI like a potential adversary and embrace it as our trusted ally.
In the years since I retired from active duty, military technology has rapidly advanced. Indeed, the pace of change has only accelerated under the Trump Administration.
Spurred by the President’s AI Action Plan and Secretary Pete Hegseth’s focus on rebuilding our military, the Pentagon has forged promising partnerships with leading AI innovators. Just this summer, the Pentagon’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) awarded contracts worth up to $200 million each to OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and xAI. Tech on display at the recent AUSA conference – from ShieldAI’s X-BAT autonomous takeoff fighter jets to Anduril’s Eagle Eye modular AI-powered soldier headsets – only confirms that the future is here.
Recent actions from Congress and the White House laid the groundwork for this transformation. But, especially with the federal government stuck in a shutdown, policy alone won’t lead to operational outcomes. That’s where the private sector comes in.
Even with government activity grounded to a near-halt and 2026 appropriations uncertain, private sector pioneers are open for business and committed to the relentless pursuit of AI excellence. Nimble start-ups and established innovators continue working directly with mission partners to deliver AI-driven capabilities. If carried to their full potential, these AI/ML solutions could unlock new tactics and sharpen our competitive advantage across domains.
Here’s what the U.S. military’s AI future could look like:
- At command centers – MetroStar’s MIDAS Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) legacy code migration solution facilitates rapid access to mission critical intelligence and fortifies federal IT systems against enemy cyberattacks. Beyond cost and efficiency savings for analysts, this means reduced technical debt, enhanced system performance, and stronger security for warfighters across domains.
- In the air – Drones running on ShieldAI’s Hivemind mission autonomy teaming tool execute fully autonomous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, freeing human operators from tedious manual input when planning routes and navigating crowded skies.
- On the ground – OverlandAI’s fully autonomous tactical vehicles traverse unforgiving terrain, amplifying ground-power, replenishing equipment, and scouting hostile environments, all without risking human lives.
- At sea – Saronic Technologies’ autonomous surface vessels, equipped with advanced sensors, identify and track maritime targets and navigate tricky waters with adaptive path planning, increasing mission accuracy while minimizing unnecessary warfighter risk.
- At training camp – New recruits test their skills prior to actual conflict with CAE’s digitally immersive, multi-domain training simulations, allowing warfighters to train on more realistic scenarios and turning novice soldiers into seasoned vets before their first mission.
During my active duty deployments, fractured data networks, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, intelligence gaps, and basic human error were constant hurdles. Crossed wires or maintenance bottlenecks could stall an operation for hours. These already built and ready-to-scale AI/ML solutions can deliver the actionable insights human forces need to make the decisions that create decisive battle advantages.
To meet this moment, several steps are necessary. The Pentagon should broaden access for trusted technology partners to innovate inside the defense enterprise. Training programs must invest in AI literacy at every level, ensuring that troops understand and trust the tools they are given. And most importantly, the Department must move beyond isolated proofs of concept to scale successful AI solutions.
Ultimately, as the nation honors those who have served this November, we must move from reflection to action and equip the next generation of military men and women with the tools they need to win wars of the future. Artificial intelligence will never replace the courage, judgment, or sacrifice of those in uniform. But it can ease their burden, sharpen their decision-making, and increase their chance of coming home victoriously.
With AI as our ally, the wars of the future are America’s to win.
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