►The U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD) AI Strategy emphasizes a long-term approach to integrating AI across military operations, focusing on operational efficiency, ethical principles, and international cooperation, serving as a model for South Korea’s nascent efforts in defense AI.

►While the U.S. leads in leveraging AI for battlefield analytics, logistics, and ethical governance, South Korea's defense AI efforts remain limited, necessitating a comprehensive strategy and stronger public-private collaboration to harness AI’s full potential.

►South Korea must prioritize the development of a national AI defense strategy, invest in AI talent, and engage in international forums to establish ethical standards and enhance its global role in military AI.

 

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has been at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) across its defense operations to maintain military superiority. Beginning with the 2018 DoD AI Strategy, the U.S. has laid the groundwork for incorporating AI into military operations while simultaneously developing robust internal systems and frameworks to facilitate its use.

 

To achieve this, the DoD has developed a series of strategies, including the 2018 AI Strategy, 2019 Digital Modernization Strategy, 2020 Data Strategy, 2022 Software Modernization Strategy, 2022 Trusted AI and Automation Roadmap, and the 2022 Zero Trust Strategy. Most recently, the department revised its AI Strategy in 2023 to further accelerate the adoption of AI technologies.

 

The implementation of these strategies has enabled the integration of advanced tools, platforms, and services provided by private industries, leading to more effective data management, analysis, and AI development. By adopting commercial solutions, the DoD has focused its internal efforts on transformative tasks while deploying AI tools and services tailored to military needs.

 

According to the 2023 DoD AI Strategy, “Advances in data, analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies enable leaders to make faster, better decisions from the boardroom to the battlefield. Accelerating the adoption of these technologies presents an unprecedented opportunity to provide leaders at all levels with the information they need to maximize decision-making capabilities.” To this end, the DoD has outlined key objectives, including enhancing operational efficiency and combat readiness, establishing AI principles and ethical guidelines, fostering international cooperation, and developing talent for sustained innovation.

 

For the Republic of Korea (ROK), the U.S. approach offers critical insights into how AI can be incorporated into defense planning, emphasizing the importance of a long-term, strategic vision. This policy brief explores the key elements of the U.S. Defense AI Strategy and provides actionable recommendations for South Korea to advance its own capabilities in military AI.

 

Strengthening Domestic Defense Capabilities

 

The DoD’s efforts to integrate AI technologies are detailed in its 2018 AI Strategy, which emphasizes the need to incorporate AI across all aspects of defense operations to maintain military superiority. The strategy sets objectives such as accelerating AI adoption, enhancing human-machine collaboration, fostering partnerships with industry and allies, and adhering to ethical principles.

 

The 2020 Data Strategy complements these efforts by treating data as a strategic asset and establishing a framework for building the infrastructure necessary for AI and machine learning applications. The strategy outlines seven key principles, known as VAULTIS, which focus on data visibility, accessibility, interoperability, and security.

 

Moreover, the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI)’s final report emphasizes the importance of AI leadership, competitiveness with China, and strengthening defense R&D capabilities. Together, these strategies align with the DoD’s overarching goal of modernizing military operations through AI-driven data analytics and autonomous systems, ensuring faster and more informed decision-making processes.

 

The DoD has implemented several practical AI applications, including Project Maven, which uses AI to analyze drone surveillance footage. By rapidly processing large volumes of video data, this initiative enhances situational awareness and tactical decision-making in real-time. Additionally, the DoD has piloted AI tools to identify vulnerabilities in critical government software systems, further demonstrating its commitment to leveraging AI for national security purposes.

 

Ethical and Normative Approaches to Military AI

 

The DoD places a strong emphasis on responsibility and ethics in the military use of AI. Its AI Ethical Principles, adopted in 2020, outline five core values: responsibility, fairness, traceability, reliability, and governability. These principles ensure that AI remains under human control and aligns with international law and ethical standards.

 

At the international level, the DoD actively participates in multilateral platforms such as the United Nations (UN), NATO, and the Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain (REAIM) Summit to promote global norms for military AI use. For example, the DoD supports the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) and advocates for “meaningful human control” over autonomous weapons. This approach aims to address concerns over accountability and unintended consequences while fostering trust among international partners.

 

The 2023 REAIM Declaration further underscores the need for transparency, accountability, and humanitarian considerations in military AI applications. It provides non-binding guidelines to ensure that AI systems are designed to minimize risks, prevent unintended actions, and comply with international humanitarian law. The 2024 REAIM concluded with 61 countries, signing a ‘blueprint’ for the ethical and human-centric use of AI in the military. The Blueprint for Action from 2024 REAIM focused on the technical, ethical, and operational aspects of military AI, emphasizing the importance of compliance with international law, human oversight, and risk assessment.

 

Comparison Between the U.S. Defense AI Strategy and South Korea

 

The United States considers AI a cornerstone of defense modernization and military superiority, guided by a systematic, long-term approach outlined in key documents such as the 2018 AI Strategy and the 2023 AI Strategy update. The U.S. aims to enhance decision-making speed and precision, improve combat readiness, and promote ethical norms through international collaboration. To achieve these goals, it emphasizes developing AI talent, fostering alliances, and integrating ethical principles into AI deployment. In contrast, South Korea’s adoption of AI in defense is still in its infancy, focusing on limited applications like cybersecurity and defense industries. However, it lacks a comprehensive national strategy, as well as sufficient attention to data management and AI talent development.

 

The U.S. leverages its advanced technological ecosystem and robust data capabilities to apply AI across military operations, intelligence, and logistics. Notable initiatives include Project Maven for AI-based imagery analysis and tools for AI vulnerability detection, supported by efforts to build a cohesive AI-data integration ecosystem under the Department of Defense. Meanwhile, South Korea’s AI applications are limited to specific areas like weapon systems and simulations, with advanced technologies such as battlefield analytics remaining underdeveloped. The country faces challenges in building infrastructure, standardizing data, and enhancing public-private collaboration to fully capitalize on AI’s potential.

 

Ethically, the U.S. leads global efforts in establishing norms for military AI, emphasizing principles like fairness, reliability, and accountability, and spearheading initiatives in forums such as NATO and REAIM. In contrast, South Korea has played a minimal role in shaping international norms or participating in global AI ethics discussions. Moving forward, South Korea must actively engage in international forums to contribute to global standards and develop domestic guidelines for the ethical and responsible use of AI in military applications. 

 

Key Takeaways for South Korea

 

South Korea must develop a comprehensive national AI defense strategy. This strategy should define clear objectives for integrating AI into defense, covering aspects such as data management, AI technology development, and infrastructure building. Establishing a robust AI ecosystem will require collaboration among private companies, academia, and government entities. These efforts will ensure South Korea can effectively harness AI to enhance its national defense capabilities.

 

Ethical considerations and international engagement must also be prioritized. South Korea should establish its own ethical guidelines for military AI use and actively participate in shaping global norms through platforms. By contributing to international agreements and ensuring the responsible use of AI domestically, South Korea can strengthen its position as a proactive player in global military AI ethics.

 

Finally, South Korea should invest in AI talent development and strengthen public-private collaboration to ensure effective AI adoption in the defense sector. Expanding frameworks between the defense ministry, academia, and the private sector, coupled with investments in research and development, will help train specialized AI experts for military applications. Furthermore, enhancing the data ecosystem through standardization, interoperability, and the creation of an independent defense data platform is critical for optimizing AI utility.