DVIDS – News – LANPAC 2026 Panel Emphasizes the Importance of Decision Superiority

Military leaders and defense experts at the 2026 Land Forces Pacific Symposium emphasized the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in modern warfare, highlighting the importance of decision superiority.
Ret. Lt. Gen. Niel Thurgood and Maj. Gen. John Cogbill stressed that while AI assists in making decisions, it does not replace human command responsibility and critical thinking.
The focus has shifted from physical military advantages in tanks and jets to interoperability among various platforms, meaning they must understand and act on shared data more swiftly.
The operational challenge is managing large and complex data volumes to produce actionable insights for combat leaders.
This evolution in warfare includes a move from linear kill chains to network kill webs, where speed of decision-making surpasses adversaries.
Command and control systems are evolving from rigid infrastructures to modular, software-driven architectures.
U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command is working on deploying secure, modern networks for AI capabilities, emphasizing collaboration with international partners and industry experts.
The military’s strategy for AI and network modernization incorporates joint partnerships, software agility, and advanced data processing to achieve decision superiority and maintain strategic advantages in future conflicts.

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