Department of the Air Force releases AI and data strategies to guide operationalization of both as core mission assets

Air Force Releases AI and Data Strategies to Compete with Adversaries

The Department of the Air Force published two strategy documents Wednesday outlining how it will operationalize artificial intelligence and data as core mission capabilities. The strategies align with the Department of War's 2026 AI Strategy and the 2026 National Defense Strategy.

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said in the AI Strategy's foreword that the department's focus is "not on developing AI for its own sake, but on rapidly delivering tangible, combat-ready capabilities that solve real-world operational problems."

Five Strategic Imperatives

The AI Strategy outlines five priorities the Air Force says will help it become an AI-first force:

• Unleash the power of data
• Accelerate an AI-first culture
• Build the enterprise AI ecosystem
• Drive agile adoption and process reform
• Modernize assurance for an AI-paced world

The department identified five building blocks needed to execute these priorities: data, technology and infrastructure; talent and workforce; partnerships and ecosystem; change management and process re-engineering; and AI governance and oversight.

Data Strategy Centers on Three Pillars

The Data Strategy focuses on streamlined data discovery and accessibility, enhanced data trust and interoperability, and increased data-centric decision-making.

To operationalize the data strategy, the Air Force will implement four building blocks: governance and responsibility; data readiness; a data-centric workforce; and a data mesh environment.

The data mesh environment will include a federated enterprise data catalog, data asset search tools, an API gateway management infrastructure, and identity and access management capabilities.

Susan Davenport, the Air Force's chief data and AI officer, said the strategies ensure "the Department of the Air Force remains agile and decisively ahead of pacing threats."

For executives developing AI strategy, understanding how defense organizations structure data governance and workforce development offers practical lessons. See more on AI for Executives & Strategy and Data Analysis.