“Winning and staying ahead in the AI race is probably one of the most important things for the United States to do, both from a military and economic security perspective,” Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said. “That is a race that the U.S. can’t lose.”
But critics warn the rush to use advanced AI in national security operations could also open sensitive military systems to new threats, especially if leaders aren’t deliberate about installing defenses during upgrades.
“The potential for out-of-control rogue agents invading websites or degrading systems applies to the Pentagon as much as any other organization,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee. “The Pentagon could be a very positive force for risk evaluation. But so far, it has avoided that responsibility.”
Congress is considering guardrails for the military’s AI use as part of annual defense policy legislation, expected to become law this year. Those restrictions would include a new review process to ensure that any autonomous systems and AI capabilities have “human judgment” at the center of all decisions, as well as new security standards and guidance for any AI agents embedded in military systems.
“We’re going to be seeing a lot more coming in the future,” said Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who chairs the cybersecurity panel for the Senate Armed Services Committee. He called those proposals a positive first step for regulating military AI.
But the provisions in the authorization bill likely won’t become law until December, a slow timeline for many lawmakers concerned about the rapidly evolving systems. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries this week called for Congress to “immediately” pass new regulations for AI development in the wake of fears that the technology could end humanity if allowed to advance unchecked.
Defense Department officials — along with President Donald Trump — have pushed back on those dire warnings, vowing that humans remain in control of the advanced tools.