JD Vance advises Air Force Academy graduates to prioritize human decisions over AI

Vice President JD Vance urged graduates of the U.S. Air Force Academy to honor human decision-making as artificial intelligence continues to change warfare.

Vance spoke during Thursday’s commencement ceremony at the academy in Colorado Springs, when the academy commissioned 931 graduates as officers.

“If the warfare of the future is to live up to the moral values of our ancestors, decisions over life and death must be made by humans and not machines,” he said towards the end of his 30-minute address.

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“As AI transforms the battlefield — in some ways positively and in some ways not — I ask that you be jealous and selfish about your role as the decision maker in warfare. Use technology to make you better, but never submit to it.”

Last week, Pope Leo XIV warned about the dangers of unchecked AI advancement. Vance said Thursday that he endorsed that message.

Vance saluted and shook the hand of every graduate as they crossed the stage. Though it drizzled earlier in the morning at Falcon Stadium, the rain held off during the ceremony. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flew over the graduates as they tossed their hats high into the air after their dismissal. Children later ran onto the field to collect those hats, many of which had $20.26 and personal notes taped inside.

A Thunderbirds performance planned for after the ceremony was cancelled due to weather.

Vance was largely apolitical in his address, commending the class for their adaptability and innovation amid a fast-evolving military landscape. Of the graduating class, 805 will be assigned to the Air Force and 94 will head to the Space Force. Ten are cross-commissioned with a different military branch and 13 international students will return to their home countries, including Taiwan, Jordan and Malaysia. Vance gave a shout-out to one academy graduate who will soon begin an internship in his office.

“Many of you will hold jobs that would have sounded like science fiction to graduates of this academy 20 years ago, but the roles you’re about to take are dead serious,” he said.

He mentioned the ongoing military operation in Iran twice during his remarks and praised the work of a special forces team to find and rescue two airmen whose F-15E Strike Eagle jet was shot down in April. He reiterated the administration’s goal of curbing Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The U.S. military and Israel have engaged in a war with Iran since late February, when airstrikes killed the country’s leader.

“When the President says he will not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon, it is the men and women you will join in 60 days who give force to that promise,” he said.

Vance told the graduating class that the $1.5 trillion defense budget the Trump administration is pursuing is part of a focus to improve quality of life for members of the military and their families. The proposed budget would triple spending on drones, fund the creation of the Golden Dome missile shield and include a 6% to 7% pay raise for personnel, among many other provisions. About $57 billion would go to base facilities.

“(Trump) is proud to support pay raises, new barracks, new hospitals and new schools on base. We want you to be supported so that you can focus on the fight and focus on winning,” he said.

The academy is a four-year institution that confers bachelor’s degrees, and most graduates enter military careers. Its first graduation was in 1959.

Vance was also scheduled to speak at a Denver Republican Party event later on Thursday, but the speech was canceled Wednesday night.

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