Arlington, VA | October 7, 2026 — The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies announces a new entry in its Forum Paper series, Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence in Military Operations: The Imperative of Human Judgment
by Maj Gen Thomas D. Taverney, USAF (Ret.).

Machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) offer unprecedented opportunities to improve military effectiveness, speed, and situational awareness. However, as these systems become more capable, the risks associated with autonomous decision-making increase significantly. The most responsible path forward is not to remove humans entirely from military decision-making, but to determine when it remains appropriate, necessary, or operationally relevant.

Human judgment remains essential for interpreting context, applying ethical principles, understanding strategic implications, and exercising accountability. The purpose of this paper is to encourage discussion about how the United States can aggressively exploit the military advantages of AI while preserving human judgment where the consequences demand it.

Mitchell Institute’s Forum Papers present innovative concepts and thought-provoking insight from aerospace experts here in the United States and across the globe. As a means to afford publishing opportunities for thoughtful perspectives, Forum Papers provide high visibility to writing efforts on issues spanning technology and operational concepts, defense policy and strategy, and unique interpretations of changing geopolitical relationships.

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