AI Won’t Replace the General — But It Could Help Them Think Faster
On 8th September 2025, the Alan Turing Institute published a major paper:
“AI Won’t Replace the General: Algorithms, Decision-Making and Battlefield Command.”
Its conclusion is striking:
AI can transform the tempo and clarity of battlefield decision-making — but it must never replace human command.
This is a reassuring double down on policy for anyone concerned that the UK would hand over critical battlefield decisions to automation/AI. So fear not, we're not handing over the reins in the UK to WOPR from Wargames or Skynet.. at least.. just yet.
⚔️ What the research found
AI shows real promise in military planning:
Faster staff work: drafting briefings, templates, and estimates.
Smarter data fusion: spotting anomalies and synthesising intel.
Resilience support: predicting how comms or infrastructure breakdown affects operations.
But there are hard limits:
Fragile bandwidth & contested comms environments.
Legal and ethical guardrails (IHL / LOAC).
Command culture — humans must stay accountable.
AI is powerful, but it’s not a magic wand.
🌍 Why this matters for all digital professionals
The lessons go far beyond the military. In healthcare, energy, transport, finance, or government services — wherever AI supports mission-critical work — the same truths apply:
1️⃣ Graceful degradation: Systems must still work when networks or data fail.
2️⃣ Audit trails: AI must log assumptions, training data, and confidence levels.
3️⃣ Human + AI > Automation: AI assists; humans remain the final authority.
4️⃣ Culture matters: Trust is earned when people see explainable, dependable systems.
🏛️ The UK Armed Forces Pathway
The Turing study outlines a responsible roadmap:
✔️ Augment HQ functions (not replace them).
✔️ Build a “command data library” to structure planning artefacts.
✔️ Train officers in AI literacy & failure modes.
✔️ Test AI in sandboxes (“microworlds”), not in live conflict.
✔️ Embed legal and ethical safeguards from the start.
Done right, AI could deliver a decision advantage — clearer, faster, more resilient planning.
💡 My Take
For me, the message is clear: digital realism beats AI hype.
We should embrace AI’s power to assist, but design for:
resilience,
accountability, and
human agency.
Whether you’re a data scientist, strategist, or policymaker — this paper is a timely reminder that AI should empower people, never.. ever.. replace them.
🔗 Worth a read: Alan Turing Institute – AI Won’t Replace the General
