Joint Chiefs Chairman Says ‘Super Intelligence’ Could Transform Future U.S. Warfare

By Amr Gohar

Washington DC – The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, has identified “super intelligence” as one of his three top strategic priorities, saying the emerging technology could fundamentally change how the U.S. military fights future wars.

According to news released by the Department of War, Caine made the comments during a fireside discussion at the National Defense Transportation Association and U.S. Transportation Command fall meeting in Grapevine, Texas.

Caine said his three immediate strategic priorities are securing a defense budget, advancing super intelligence, and managing ongoing military operations — placing the emerging technology alongside some of the Pentagon’s most pressing responsibilities.

He described super intelligence as a potential “game changer” across multiple areas of warfare, including tactical combat, logistics, sustainment, and command and control.

Caine said future conflicts could involve enormous volumes of both kinetic attacks — including missiles, rockets and bombs — and non-kinetic attacks in areas such as cyberspace, making advanced intelligence systems increasingly important for military decision-making.

The chairman also emphasized that human judgment must remain part of the process. He said the military needs to train leaders and develop systems and models that can assist commanders while carefully balancing the opportunities and risks created by increasingly advanced intelligence capabilities.

Caine said the Joint Force and Joint Staff are already moving toward greater use of the technology and argued that the U.S. military will need to keep pace with developments in the private sector.

He suggested private companies may initially lead the development and application of super intelligence, adding that the military will need to move at a similar speed if it wants to maintain its technological advantage.

The remarks highlight the growing role of artificial intelligence and advanced decision-making systems in Pentagon planning as the U.S. military prepares for conflicts that could combine conventional weapons, cyber operations, autonomous systems and rapidly evolving technologies.