Bill > S4683

This bill, known as the Warfighter Artificial Intelligence Readiness and Preparedness Act of 2026 (or WARP Act of 2026), requires the Secretary of Defense to conduct a comprehensive assessment of how integrating artificial intelligence (AI) systems affects the skills and readiness of military personnel. This assessment, which must begin by August 1, 2027, will identify critical military roles where reliance on AI might lead to skill degradation and evaluate how AI systems augment warfighter capabilities versus when human proficiency needs to be actively maintained. The bill mandates research activities, including experiments and simulations, to understand skill retention, decision-making accuracy, and performance in challenging operational environments, particularly when AI systems are unavailable or compromised (referred to as "degraded-mode operations"). The Secretary will designate a senior official to oversee this process, coordinate with various defense research entities and military departments, and ensure the findings are integrated into Department of Defense policies, training programs, and acquisition strategies. The bill also requires initial and follow-up reports to Congress detailing the assessment's findings, preliminary research results, and recommendations for optimizing the integration of AI to strengthen, rather than diminish, warfighter effectiveness and operational readiness, especially in scenarios requiring independent judgment and critical skills.