Symposium on Soldier-Leaders In the Age of AI: The Future of Pre-Commissioning Educaton

The theme of “adaptive, agile leaders” is pervasive in today’s military literature. Yet the leader development impacts of accelerating technological change have been largely overlooked. In this context, institutions of higher education that produce military officers must understand the future operating environment and be equally agile and adaptive. The typical evolutionary approach to institutional change will not be successful. Today’s freshman Cadets will be field-grade officers in 2035, and amazing opportunities and challenges lie ahead of them. Their success requires educational institutions and leader development programs fit for the age of Artificial Intelligence. This symposium will explore:
• How advances in science and technology will shape the future battlefield operating environment and support the future soldier-leader (e.g., neuroscience, cyber, man-machine learning, drones, augmented learning, artificial intelligence).
• The influence of science and technology advances on future military leadership education and development (e.g. officer leader development in pre-commissioning education programs, recruiting).
• The impact of artificial intelligence and technological initiatives on the ethical decision-making and ethical leadership of future soldier-leaders.