2019 The United States Air Force Artificial Intelligence Annex to The Department of Defense Artificial Intelligence Strategy

Artificial intelligence is poised to change how warfare is conducted in the 21st century. The comparative advantage currently enjoyed by the Air Force will either erode or strengthen depending on the manner in which we adopt these technologies.

Unlike previous technological advances, AI has already proliferated into many commercial enterprises and, as such, cannot be governmentally controlled or contained. Just as the commercial sector has rushed to embrace these technologies, our global competitors are overtly accelerating the integration and weaponization of AI as an effective measure to counter our traditional strengths and exploit our perceived weaknesses. This is especially true for our Air Force, where our ability to execute missions across Air, Space, and Cyberspace rely on insights driven by data and information. Depending on the strategic choices we make now, our ability to operate around the globe may be blunted or bolstered by the adoption of—or hardening against—artificial intelligence.