War Department expands AI access, now used by 1.7 million personnel
Under Secretary of War Emil Michael announced that about 1.7 million department staff now use AI tools for business, intelligence and combat tasks.
During a recent policy event, Under Secretary of War Emil Michael detailed the department’s AI acceleration strategy, highlighting a surge to about 1.7 million users across the organization. He explained that earlier adoption was limited to under 70,000 staff, largely because AI tools were not readily accessible for official duties. The current effort places AI applications on desktops and mobile devices for a range of functions, from routine business processes to intelligence synthesis and combat operations.
Michael said the focus now shifts to deeper training so personnel can leverage AI in conflict scenarios and real-time data integration to enhance national safety. He also outlined the GenAI.mil portal, which offers vetted AI models—including Google Gemini and upcoming options from SpaceX and OpenAI—within secure, classified environments.
Why it matters
Widespread AI use in the War Department could reshape how the U.S. conducts intelligence and combat operations.
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