Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) has introduced a pair of complementary bipartisan, bicameral bills to provide a roadmap for integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the military.
Bill #1: The Ultimate Human Responsibility in Defense Systems Act
Sen. Kelly's Ultimate Human Responsibility in Defense Systems Act, the first of the two bills, requires the Department of War to develop and maintain standards of AI weapon development so that human commanders and operators retain ultimate control over the technology and adherence to American and international law.
Bill #2: The Warfighter AI Readiness and Preparedness (WARP) Act
The second bill – the Warfighter AI Readiness and Preparedness (WARP) Act – is similar to the first but is arguably more of an "on the ground" version, requiring the Department of War to assess how AI integration impacts warfighter readiness, skill retention, and operational effectiveness, determine which military roles retain critical skills that must be sustained as AI becomes more widely used, and prevent reliance on AI in judgement and proficiency.
What Lawmakers are Saying
"AI is already making our military more capable, but we have to be smart about how we integrate it to keep Americans safe," said Sen. Kelly in a press release. "We can't lose the essential skills that make our military the best in the world or implement systems that could make life and death decisions without human accountability. These bipartisan solutions will integrate AI into the military smartly so that we strengthen our national security."
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), the bill's cosponsor in the Senate, added, "In future conflicts, our military advantage will depend on leveraging AI as much as possible, and just as importantly, whether we can adapt and execute when AI systems fail. Our bill will ensure our military has the proper training to maintain their mission readiness in the AI age."
"This bill ensures that a human operator can always oversee, override, or shut down an autonomous weapon," Rep. Suhas Subramanyam commented. "By pairing strict safety reviews with real-world training for our servicemembers, we are prioritizing both national security and accountability."
