41 As Gen-AI tools evolve into more sophisticated, capable, and accurate technologies, we will see continued expansion in their capability frontiers. While Gen-AI currently exists only in digital working spheres, we do envision AI reasoning and self-prompting technology merging with physical systems, leading to the long-term deployment of intelligent machines, or fully autonomous systems that take a variety of forms. These will have further applications across enterprise and mission functions within the military yet hold all the same dependencies on data and enterprise technology infrastructure. Therefore, above all, the most valuable investment the DOD can make for the integration of AI is modernizing its data streams to be suitable for these technologies as they emerge and roll out. As the range of use-cases expands, so too will the complexity in the technical requirements for the tools and the foundational technology architectures upon which they run. The introduction of currently theoretical AI technologies, such as Artificial General Intelligence,49 will mandate a robust foundational enterprise technology architecture as it connects with a wide range of digital systems and intelligent machines. This will have unique impacts on the military, in areas such as its classification system, further increasing complexity. This mandates the need for recurring modernization strategies that adjust existing systems to fit within evolving human-machine teaming dynamics. Gen-AI marks the beginning of an era—not its encapsulation—in which software can complete increasingly more complex functions related to human reasoning and cognition. Making the right investments in Gen-AI technologies, in coordination with upgrades to our military’s connectivity infrastructure, digital systems, and operations, will become ever more important in the next decade to safeguard US national security. Doing so, however, requires a long-game approach involving planning and diligence in when and how these investments are made. If the Department of Defense executes this major transition successfully, the private sector can benefit significantly from adopting the dual-use applications that arise. We hope that the framework provided in this paper can support ongoing efforts within the US military, and the private sector. CONCLUSION AND FORWARD-LOOKING DISCUSSION Generative AI Adoption in the US Military