A new RAND report explores how AI could transform warfare by disrupting four “building block” competitions in military affairs:
- quantity versus quality
- hiding versus finding
- centralized versus decentralized command and control
- cyber offense versus cyber defense.
The analysis suggests that the U.S. military should harness AI in ways that leverage mass, deception, mission command, and cyber resilience. For instance, investing in new AI tools can create persistent uncertainty and confusion for enemy sensing systems. Washington also needs a clear plan to transition to an AI-enabled force, one that trains human personnel and AI tools together to reinforce strengths and offset weaknesses.
Exploiting AI’s potential will be as much an organizational challenge as a technological one, the authors conclude, because it may require “disruptive changes” to how the U.S. military traditionally operates.
