JUNE 4, 2025 – Although the U.S. Special Operations Command has embraced incorporating artificial intelligence into the 21st-century battlespace, one senior special operations forces leader noted that AI has non-tactical uses, which are proving very advantageous for the SOF community.
While speaking at the AI+ Expo in Washington today, Socom’s vice commander, Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Frank L. Donovan, said AI tools are helping the command build its budget and run more efficiently at the administrative level.
He admitted that talking about budgets “doesn’t sound exciting,” but it’s important to Donovan to “show that we have a good return on the investment” that American taxpayers make in Socom.
“We use this tool, integrating data from across multiple databases into a single pool, and [then] use generative AI to deliver insights and provide true courses of action to make sure that our baseline budget and our top line remains about constant,” he explained.
He added that such a process helps ensure the command is executing operations globally while cutting away excess and modernizing at the same time.
In terms of how human capital relates to budgeting, Donovan said the people who contribute to the process are still necessary for their valuable insights.
“We can have a large number of staff officers doing that type of work, and we want them still in the loop to provide their expertise,” he said. “But [with AI], we can move quicker — with more volume and data — to make a better decision.”
Socom has made significant AI-related inroads over the past year, particularly when it comes to software.
Last month, one industry expert said he would rate Socom’s overall progress on AI development as a “six or seven” on a scale of one to 10, noting that he sees areas where the command can continue to grow, including further integration of AI into legacy hardware systems.
Currently in its second year, the AI+ Expo is a forum for industry, government and academic research entities to exhibit some of the latest technological breakthroughs in AI, biotech, energy, networks, microelectronics, manufacturing and augmented reality, as well as discuss their implications for U.S. and allied competitiveness.
By Matthew Olay, DOD News