The U.S. Air Force has issued Doctrine Note 25-1, outlining artificial intelligence’s (AI) evolving role in air operations across the competition continuum.

Drawing from joint policies, public law, academic research and expert input, the note supplements existing Department of Defense AI strategies.

“In an increasingly complex and contested environment, AI is a crucial differentiator for the Department of the Air Force. To maintain our competitive advantage, we must embrace AI’s transformative potential. The release of Air Force Doctrine Note 25-1 marks a key milestone in our journey toward AI-enabled air and space power,” the Department of the Air Force Chief Data and AI Office said in a LinkedIn post. 

The new doctrine note also highlights gaps in existing guidance and shares emerging best practices for commanders. It also points out China’s use of AI for human-machine teaming, cyber operations and decision-making, while Russia focuses on AI in unmanned systems. 

Recognizing differing expert views, it includes working definitions of key AI-related terms and concepts.
Moreover, the doctrine outlines current Air Force AI programs such as Predictive Analytics and Decision Assistant (PANDA), an AI platform developed by the Rapid Sustainment Office to optimize maintenance, boost aircraft availability and reduce downtime through predictive analytics.