Chasing True AI Autonomy: From Legacy Mindsets to Battlefield Dominance

Western militaries must abandon legacy concepts of autonomy and rapidly adopt true AI autonomy, which allows systems to operate independently without GPS, data links, or human supervision in contested environments. Without this shift, the United States risks falling behind Russia and China, who are already fielding systems geared for electronic-warfare-intensive battlefields. The Russo-Ukrainian War demonstrates this necessity, as GPS jamming has reduced the effectiveness of precision munitions and manpower shortages have created operational bottlenecks. True autonomy is also critical for logistics and casualty evacuation, where current tele-operated robots are vulnerable to signal loss. To achieve this, the U.S. and its allies should create shared datasets, national test ranges, and reform procurement to reward genuine autonomous capabilities.