The age of AI warfare has arrived, and speed will determine victory - opinion

Major General (res.) Saar Tzur argues that AI is not replacing human commanders but transforming military decision-making and operations. He identifies two simultaneous AI revolutions: one in headquarters, enhancing cognitive augmentation and sensor fusion, and another at the tactical edge, enabling autonomous execution under human command. Tzur cites the war in Ukraine and Israel's operational experience, and mentions the IDF's new five-year plan 'Hoshen' to promote AI and robotics. He emphasizes that speed of understanding and decision-making will determine victory in future conflicts.

In this opinion piece, Major General (res.) Saar Tzur argues that the question of whether AI will replace human commanders is the wrong one. Drawing on the war in Ukraine and Israel's recent operational experience, he contends that AI is fundamentally changing how commanders think, decide, and fight, redefining the division of labor between humans and machines. Tzur describes two complementary AI revolutions: the first inside command headquarters, where AI enhances cognitive augmentation by filtering information, fusing intelligence sources, and compressing decision time, allowing commanders to focus on uniquely human aspects of command; the second at the tactical edge, where AI increasingly supports autonomous execution under human command, making tactical decisions in time-sensitive situations where waiting for approval is impossible. He emphasizes that modern warfare generates unprecedented volumes of information, and the challenge is understanding it before it loses operational value. The force that sees, understands, decides, and acts first will hold the decisive advantage. Tzur also highlights sensor fusion as a transformative capability, turning fragments of data into a coherent operational picture. He notes that the IDF has just launched 'Hoshen,' a new five-year plan to promote AI, robots, and new technologies. The article is a strategic analysis advocating for the integration of AI in military operations, with a focus on decision superiority.