Readying Military Medicine for AI-Enabled Warfare

Area of Science:

• Military Medicine
• Artificial Intelligence in Warfare
• Medical Education and Training

Background:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally altering warfare through autonomous systems and data analytics.
• Current military medical education and doctrine lag behind the rapid advancements in AI-enabled combat environments.
• This gap creates significant operational, ethical, and clinical challenges for military medical readiness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline systemic vulnerabilities in military medicine's preparedness for AI-enabled large-scale combat operations.
• To identify critical gaps in trauma training, medical logistics, and ethical preparedness.
• To propose concrete recommendations for adapting military medicine to AI-driven warfare.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of systemic vulnerabilities including infrastructure, data integrity, and cybersecurity.
• Review of recent conflicts and emerging technologies impacting military medicine.
• Identification of gaps in current educational and doctrinal alignment with the evolving battlespace.

Main Results:

• Significant infrastructure gaps, data integrity issues, and cybersecurity threats hinder readiness.
• Lack of doctrinal and educational alignment with AI-enhanced battlefields is a critical vulnerability.
• Gaps exist in trauma training, medical logistics, and ethical preparedness for AI-driven conflicts.

Conclusions:

• Military medicine requires targeted curricular redesign, ethical education, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Recommendations include embedding AI scenarios in simulations and training human-AI teaming.
• Adapting military medicine is essential to ensure operational readiness in future AI-driven conflicts.