An Air Force officer's doctoral research at Auburn University found that adding AI tools to military distance learning courses doesn't improve outcomes unless the technology is woven directly into instruction with clear guidance for students.
Lt. Col. Thomas J. Outlaw, an active-duty Air Force officer and doctoral candidate in Auburn's College of Education, designed and tested an AI-supported learning experience for students in Airman Leadership School and Noncommissioned Officer Academy distance learning courses. He embedded an AI literacy module and an optional chatbot named Athena into an existing orientation course, then studied how 177 consenting participants used the tools and what they thought of them.
His findings, published in his dissertation, showed no statistically significant differences in academic performance or learner perceptions between chatbot users and nonusers. The one clear signal: students who entered the course already familiar with AI reported more positive views of the AI-supported experience.
Why access alone isn't enough
"My research reinforced that simply giving students access to a new technology is not enough. Access alone does not guarantee meaningful engagement," Outlaw said. "Whether in military education, higher education or organizational leadership, effective innovation requires more than adopting new tools. It requires intentional design, learner readiness, human support and continuous evaluation."
Outlaw's work addresses a real tension in military education. Distance learning gives active-duty students the flexibility to balance coursework with deployments, duty shifts and family life. But that flexibility can come at the cost of personalized support and meaningful interaction that in-person classrooms provide.
"My interest is not simply in using AI because it is new or innovative, but in understanding how it might help create learning experiences that better reflect individual learning styles, student needs, career aspirations and personal interests," Outlaw said. "I believe AI has the potential to make distance education more responsive, more personalized and more supportive for military learners."
What this means for educators
For educators at any level, the takeaway is direct: don't hand students a tool and walk away. Outlaw's findings suggest that effective AI use requires structured opportunities for interaction, clear instructions on when to use AI and why, and ongoing support to help students learn the tool first.
Amy Serafini, associate professor and chair of Outlaw's dissertation, said the research points to the importance of instructional design over technology adoption. "Learners must understand how and when to use AI in ways that strengthen the educational experience. Even in an era of artificial intelligence, relationships still matter, and the greatest impact occurs when technology supports, rather than replaces, meaningful human connection," she said.
Outlaw said his Auburn program allowed him to build a cross-disciplinary path spanning education, computer science, engineering and business - a structure he said was essential for researching a topic that sits at the intersection of pedagogy and technology. His dissertation offers practical recommendations for leaders designing and delivering military distance learning programs, and the findings have relevance beyond the military for anyone building AI for Education initiatives or following an AI Learning Path for Teachers.
Why this matters for education professionals
Educators and instructional designers should treat AI as a component of course design, not a feature add-on. The lesson from Outlaw's research: success depends on preparing learners before they use AI, embedding the tool into specific tasks, and maintaining the human feedback loops that technology cannot replace. Schools and training programs that skip those steps should expect modest results at best.
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