U.S. Military’s AI Ambitions Face Internal Hurdles, Chinese Competition

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U.S. Military's AI Ambitions Face Internal Hurdles, Chinese Competition

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The United States military is striving for dominance in artificial intelligence, but its efforts are complicated by internal disagreements and the rapid advancements made by China. The Department of Defense (DoD) has requested approximately $29.5 billion for fiscal year 2027 to acquire next-generation AI supercomputers and enhance its computing infrastructure. This initiative, known as “AI Arsenal,” aims to centralize and scale supercomputing assets across the joint force.

The current administration has issued several executive orders regarding AI. In January 2025, President Trump issued EO 14179, “Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence,” which superseded previous AI policies. This was followed by EO 14365 in December 2025, which sought a unified national AI policy framework. Most recently, in June 2026, President Trump signed EO 14409, “Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security,” which focuses on strengthening federal cybersecurity, expanding AI-enabled defensive tools, and establishing a framework for secure AI model deployment. This order also directed national security agencies to create a framework for evaluating AI-related risks and establish an AI-cybersecurity clearinghouse.

Meanwhile, China is actively pursuing AI integration into its military, with a focus on “intelligentized warfare.” This includes developing unmanned intelligent combat systems, enhancing battlefield awareness, and improving decision-making. China’s military-civil fusion policy allows for civilian AI innovations to be channeled into military applications. Reports from September 2026 indicate that China’s People’s Liberation Army is utilizing advanced AI to develop weapons and conduct cyber espionage. The U.S. has implemented export controls on advanced semiconductors and chip-making equipment to limit China’s access to crucial AI inputs. Despite these challenges, both the U.S. and China have expressed a consensus on the importance of human control over the decision to use nuclear weapons, a point emphasized by their leaders in late 2024.

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