CNAS Launches New Initiative on AI in Future Warfare

Washington, March 10, 2025 – The Center for a New American Security’s (CNAS) Defense Program is launching a new initiative examining the critical role of artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous systems in the future of warfare.

AI and autonomy have the potential to fundamentally change how wars are fought today and in the future. Already, these tools are rapidly being incorporated into military operations and planning processes, with AI-enabled targeting tools and autonomous drones altering the calculus in conflicts from Ukraine to the Red Sea.

This initiative will explore how the United States and its key allies could employ military AI and autonomy in future conflict, the technical and policy changes needed to achieve future visions of AI-enabled combat, and how AI and autonomy may provide unique military advantages.

“AI and autonomous systems are quickly becoming indispensable military technologies that provide significant advantages on the battlefield. It is critical to understand how the United States can leverage AI to gain a speed and decision-making advantage, and the steps it must take now to be able to deter adversaries and, if needed, prevail in future conflict,” said Stacie Pettyjohn, senior fellow and director of the CNAS Defense Program.

This initiative builds on CNAS’s longstanding leadership in defense strategy, equipping national security policymakers with future-focused analysis to navigate the implications of emerging military technologies on warfare.

This week, CNAS will release a policy brief: Safe and Effective: Advancing Department of Defense Test and Evaluation for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems. The brief will examine how the U.S. military can establish a cohesive test and evaluation framework to ensure the effectiveness of AI-enabled autonomous systems.

By exploring how the United States and its key allies can strategically employ AI tools and autonomous weapons in future conflict, CNAS continues to provide actionable insights to help U.S. and allied leaders navigate the defense challenges of the future.

For more information about the initiative or media inquiries, please contact Alexa Whaley at  [email protected].