Marines Prepare for an AI-Driven Future
The Marine Corps War College is integrating artificial intelligence into staff planning, wargaming, and decision-making exercises as part of a broader effort to prepare officers for a future where human and machine capabilities are deeply connected.
AI is not replacing leadership. It is meant to support it. That is the guiding idea behind several new pilot programs the college is testing as the Corps moves through Force Design 2030.
Retired Rear Admiral Chris “Boris” Becker, who sits on the board of Atombeam Technologies, said the goal is to help commanders think faster and more clearly in information-heavy environments.
“AI’s real value is in freeing a commander’s cognitive capacity for the necessary thinking,” Becker said. “It can accelerate and sharpen a decision maker’s understanding of the battlespace even as sensors and communications systems create overwhelming volumes of data.”
How AI Tools Are Being Tested in Training
The Marine War College is experimenting with machine learning across three areas: intelligence support, Course of Action development, and predictive modeling in wargaming scenarios.
These tools are still human-guided. Instructors supervise every output, and students are trained to use AI the same way they use any decision aid.
At Ethos, a company already supporting AI-driven training within the Department of the Navy, Co-Founder and CEO Andrew Powell said the goal is not automation. It is smarter human oversight.
“We build AI tools that help warfighters be more efficient and effective without losing sight of the human in the loop,” Powell said. “AI can convert an 800-page technology manual into a course in minutes, but the human expertise comes in validating and fine-tuning the content.”
Powell said this approach mirrors what MCWAR is building: human-machine workflows that speed up preparation while reinforcing the importance of instructor judgment.
Instant Feedback and Data-Driven Learning
One of the biggest shifts AI is bringing to military education is real-time performance feedback.
Ethos tools provide what Powell calls “datafication” of learning. Every action inside a lesson generates data for instructors. Instead of waiting for end-of-course assessments, leaders can intervene early when a student struggles.
“One of our Department of the Navy partners saw a 50 percent reduction in course failure rates after modernizing their training with AI,” Powell said. “It saved them more than two million dollars in one year.”
This type of adaptive instruction is expected to become more common as AI tools reach full authorization on classified networks. Ethos already works on NIPRNet and SIPRNet with Authority to Operate up to Impact Level 6.
Learning When to Trust the Machine
Trust remains a challenge for any AI system used in military settings. Modern models can hallucinate or provide convincing but incorrect conclusions.
Becker said understanding AI’s limits is just as important as learning how to use it.
“Leaders have to be on guard for false conclusions or hallucinations,” he said. “Learning how much trust to place in AI is just as important as having the capability.”
He added that the Marine Corps has a long history of adopting new technology while managing risks. The Corps learned how to innovate during the development of amphibious warfare, and Becker believes the same mindset will guide AI adoption.
“Any innovation can have shortfalls,” Becker said. “Marines have a history of recognizing risks and mitigating them while still reaping the benefits.”
Operational Impact for Force Design 2030
AI experimentation at MCWAR connects directly to Force Design 2030. Future stand-in forces will often operate in small, distributed units with limited time and information.
Junior officers may face situations where they rely on AI tools to help assess threats or understand complex environments. AI is intended to support them, not replace their judgment.
Becker said the key is remembering what has not changed.
“Focus on the humans. The machines will change,” he said. “The need to equip, train, and lead Naval forces to victory will be with us for the next 250 years.”
The Next Step for Military Education
Powell believes AI will be a defining part of military training over the next five years. A 2025 Government Accountability Office report identified shortages of trained personnel and rapid modernization as major readiness challenges. Powell calls this the Human–Technology Divide.
In his view, AI will help close that gap as long as institutions work with trusted partners who understand both security requirements and the pace of commercial innovation.
“Adopting new technology is always an adjustment,” Powell said. “I would prioritize finding a commercial partner with a proven track record with government agencies to help integrate AI and protect sensitive materials.”
The Marine War College’s early experiments hint at what the next generation of training could look like: faster assessments, smarter wargames, more informed decisions, and officers prepared to lead human-machine teams across a contested battlespace.
The Bottom Line
AI is entering Marine Corps education at a deliberate pace. The focus is simple:
Use machines to make Marines smarter, faster, and better prepared for the fights ahead.
Human leadership remains at the center.
Sources
- Interview with Andrew Powell, Co-Founder and CEO, Ethos.
- Interview with Rear Admiral (ret.) Chris “Boris” Becker, Board Member, Atombeam Technologies.
- Government Accountability Office. “Shortages of Sufficiently Trained Personnel” (March 2025).
- Marine Corps University. War College Curriculum Overview.
- U.S. Marine Corps. Force Design 2030 materials.
