Human-Machine Planning: AI Lessons from the Marine Command and General Staff College

Generative AI's integration into military planning requires adapting established processes to be effective. Experiments at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College revealed that large language models are most useful during the early, divergent thinking stages of mission analysis. Planners also found the tools more valuable when operating outside their specific areas of expertise for general knowledge. To maximize AI's benefits, operational planning teams must be restructured with new workflows, prompt templates, and dedicated training. Ultimately, enthusiasm for AI is insufficient without experienced users and processes designed to leverage the technology.