Vice President JD Vance expressed worries regarding the application of artificial intelligence in military contexts, and called on the armed forces to proceed carefully with the technology. These comments were made as the Pentagon continues to implement AI on the battlefield.
Addressing graduating cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, the vice president — who participated in the Iraq War while serving in the Marines — recognized the increasing concern among Americans as AI begins to "impact the job market" and has "transformed how we communicate with each other."
But the aspect I am most concerned about regarding AI is its impact on warfare," Vance stated, noting that "it has already begun.
"If the conflict of tomorrow is to meet the ethical standards of our predecessors, choices regarding life and death should be made by people, not by technology," he stated.
The Department of Defense has rapidly begun incorporating AI into its military operations, despite concerns regarding the implementation of proper controls for this emerging technology.
The vice president, a Catholic who has previously shown strong support for the adoption of AI, used the speech at the Air Force Academy to "endorse" a view articulated by Pope Leo XIV in hisencyclical regarding AI published this week, even as other officials from the Trump administration have rejected Leo's updated guidelines.
Vance commended the pope's guidance, which advises against delegating crucial moral choices to digital technology, and expressed his hope that the cadets would internalize this message when making decisions during warfare.
As AI changes the battlefield—sometimes in positive ways, sometimes not—I urge you to be protective and self-serving regarding your role as a decision-maker in war," he stated. "Utilize technology to enhance your abilities, but never surrender to it. You are the leaders of warfare, and both your minds and your hearts stand in contrast to the artificial.
Vance's overarching message regarding the significance of human judgment emerges as the Trump administration faces challenges in developing more concrete guidelines for AI usage in the United States. Last week, President Donald Trump made a last-minute decisionnot to signA highly anticipated executive order regarding AI, following appeals from several tech leaders who asked him to delay it, fearing it might hinder the technology's progress.
Other government officials have dismissed concerns about adopting AI too rapidly and without sufficient review. In January, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the military is in "a race" to create AI-powered combat systems.
We need to acknowledge that the dangers of not acting quickly surpass the risks associated with less-than-perfect coordination," Hegseth stated in a January memo that outlined extensive new efforts to implement and integrate AI across the military. "Speed is crucial.
When confronted with Leo's indirect criticism over the past few months regarding the administration's role in the Iran conflict, especially the claim that it failed to meet the criteria of a "just war," Hegseth minimized the importance of the pope's views on military issues.
The pope will carry out his duties, and that's acceptable," Hegseth said to reporters last month. "We are aware of our mission and the authority we possess. We are very clear on this, and we adhere to the president's orders.
The Defense Department remains under investigation for aA military attack on an educational institution in IranIn the initial hours of the conflict, at least 175 individuals lost their lives, with numerous schoolgirls among the casualties, as reported by Iranian authorities. The school was targeted during the U.S. attack that hit over 1,000 locations within the first 24 hours, made possible in part by the most sophisticated AI system the Pentagon has deployed in combat, known as the Maven Smart System.
The system utilized the AI tool Claude to recommend hundreds of targets, provide location coordinates, and rank targets based on their significance.
As the inquiry regarding the Iranian school strike continues, officials who have previously communicated with The Washington Post indicated that it is probable the system received incorrect targeting data. The school, located near an Iranian military facility, had been previously confirmed as a valid target and had been recognized as a weapons factory or storage structure.
The Pentagon had previously utilized the Claude-powered Maven system in January during its operation to apprehend Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. In reaction, the company behind Claude, Anthropic, questioned how the Pentagon was employing its AI tool, considering the company's stated ethical guidelines.
The argument escalated, leading to Trump prohibiting Anthropic from future government contracts, while Hegseth stated that Anthropic was asupply chain risk.
The issue remains under legal proceedings, and during this time, the U.S. military employed Anthropic technology as it advanced into Iran.
Dan Lamothe played a role in this report.
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