In an era where information dominance defines victory, the U.S. Marine Corps is aggressively integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) to outpace sophisticated foes like China and Russia. The Marine Corps' Artificial Intelligence Implementation Plan (known as the “AI IPlan”), released in April 2025, serves as a five-year roadmap to embed AI across warfighting and support functions in order to ensure Marines make faster, smarter decisions in contested environments. Importantly, this initiative aligns with Department of War strategies emphasizing responsible AI use to close kill chains and counter adversary tactics.
A Strategic Blueprint for AI Integration
The AI IPlan, outlined in NAVMC 3000.1, focuses on five core goals: identifying mission-specific AI applications, building a skilled workforce, establishing robust infrastructure from enterprise to edge, implementing governance and policies, and forging partnerships with industry and academia. "Fighting smart" is the mantra, as the Corps aims to leverage AI for superior speed and precision, particularly in expeditionary advanced base operations where logistics and reconnaissance are critical.
Key to this endeavor is treating data as a strategic asset under the VAULTIS framework—Visible, Accessible, Understandable, Linked, Trustworthy, Interoperable, Secure. This ensures AI systems can synthesize vast sensor feeds, from satellite imagery to drone video, to predict enemy movements and automate targeting.
Building an AI-Ready Workforce
To operationalize AI, the Marines are prioritizing talent development. A June 2025 MARADMIN announced expanded training solutions, including courses in the Marine Corps eLearning Ecosystem on data management and AI fundamentals, Digital University pathways for advanced analytics, and specialized programs through the Naval Postgraduate School. These efforts create role-specific tracks: basic fluency for all Marines, technical skills for builders, and risk management for leaders.
The end state is a Total Force capable of sustaining AI in austere settings. As adversaries deploy their own AI for jamming or data poisoning, Marines are training to assess and mitigate these threats, maintaining resilience in denied environments.
AI on the Battlefield: Timely Applications
AI is transforming combat operations. In intelligence, machine learning enhances planning through models that analyze enemy doctrines to forecast responses. For detection and tracking, the Observation and Sensing System uses edge AI to classify threats like small drones or vessels in real-time, even in poor weather, relaying data with minimal bandwidth.
Logistics planners can see predictive analytics that optimize supply chains, forecasting maintenance needs to counter disruptions in littoral zones. Garrison tasks, like training analysis in the Marine Corps Training Information Management System, are automated to free up personnel.
A prime example of AI employment came during Keen Sword 2025, a biennial U.S.-Japan-based exercise. The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL) demonstrated AI-enhanced Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2), enabling seamless data sharing for rapid decision-making in contested spaces. LtCol Jason Hibler noted, "Lessons from past exercises... allow the lab to iterate and improve based on real-time data and feedback from coalition partners." This integration boosted interoperability, showcasing how AI helps Marines outmaneuver adversaries through adaptive networking and logistical innovations.
Initiatives Driving Progress
The Digital Transformation Pilot deploys teams to units for on-site AI integration, which delivers insights to commanders. Partnerships with DoW labs and tech firms accelerate countermeasures against adversarial AI, while governance ensures human oversight in lethal decisions.
As Col Michael Carroll stated during Keen Sword, “Our ability to innovate, embrace, and operationalize rapid change continues to provide a competitive advantage.”
Looking Ahead
With the AI IPlan guiding efforts through 2030, the Marines are positioning themselves as a tech-savvy force ready for multi-domain warfare. By minimizing vulnerabilities and maximizing AI's potential, the Corps is ensuring that it will stay ahead of evolving threats.
