US fighter pilots try taking directions from AI for the first time

US fighter pilots took directions from an AI system for the first time in a test that could drastically change combat tactics, Fox reported. Fighter pilots in action typically communicate with ground support who monitor radar and tell pilots where to fly. During the Air Force and Navy’s test this month, pilots instead consulted with Raft AI’s “air battle manager” technology to confirm their flight path was on track and to receive faster reports of nearby enemy aircraft.

The trial run comes as defense tech companies increasingly build technologies that take humans out of the equation — Anduril and General Atomics have both created unmanned fighter drones that can fly alongside human-driven aircraft. Such developments change how war is fought and won, bolstering the case for technological innovation over sheer manpower. It also changes the pace at which critical decisions are made. Raft AI CEO Shubhi Mishra told Fox decisions that once took minutes only take seconds with the new technology. While that can help pilots intercept threats faster, it also risks removing strategic judgment from the loop.