Asger Risom
US Army officials say the modern battlefield generates more data than soldiers can process alone, prompting expanded testing of AI systems designed to identify patterns and support targeting decisions.
The US Army says modern warfare is producing more information than soldiers can realistically process.
Faced with a flood of sensor data and networked systems, officials argue artificial intelligence is no longer optional but essential.
Speaking after the recent Dynamic Front exercise in Europe, Col. Jeff Pickler, commander of the Army’s 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force, described a battlefield saturated with information.
“The modern battlefield, what we’re already seeing across the globe, it is swimming in sensors, and we are drowning in data,” Pickler said at a media roundtable.
He added that there are not enough personnel to analyse everything generated in real time. “They will never be able to fully process all of that.”
AI in beta
During Dynamic Front, which involved nearly 2,000 US troops and almost 4,000 allied personnel, soldiers tested a homegrown AI system designed to ingest and sort vast quantities of operational data.
The software remains in beta, but Army officials plan to scale it up in the next iteration of the exercise, which will merge with Arcane Front to combine technology trials with high-level combat rehearsals.
“If we’re looking at a target set in the European theater where we think we’re going to need to process upwards of 1,500 targets a day, that’s beyond the human scope,” Pickler said. “The answer to the equation there is in AI and automations.”
Context over speed
According to Pickler, the key benefit is not just speed but memory and pattern recognition.
“So the difference isn’t seconds versus minutes — it’s minutes instead of months. Not because the machine scans quickly, but because it keeps context across sources that humans can’t hold in memory,” he said.
“It doesn’t replace analysts by reading faster,” he added, “it replaces the weeks analysts spend reconnecting information spread across thousands of reports.”
The system can link disparate data points — such as shipping activity, power outages and supply deliveries — to flag potential military preparations.
Humans remain in control
Army officials emphasised that humans remain in the loop. Analysts review outputs at multiple stages, and the goal is to increase agreement between AI and human assessments to as much as 90% to 95% across large target sets.
AI and automation are also central to the Army’s Next Generation Command and Control initiative, with companies including Anduril, Palantir and Lockheed Martin contributing to systems that provide real-time updates on ammunition, maintenance, intelligence and simulated threats.
Beyond combat, the Army is integrating AI into administrative functions such as recruitment and maintenance, reflecting a broader push to modernise workflows.
Sources: US Army statements; Dynamic Front media roundtable
