In a major step toward integrating artificial intelligence into military activities, the US Air Force recently completed the first official test flight of a fighter aircraft controlled by an AI system.

AI marks one of the biggest advances in military aviation since the introduction of stealth in the early 1990s, and the Air Force has aggressively leaned in. Even though the technology is not fully developed, the service is planning for an AI-enabled fleet of more than 1,000 unmanned warplanes, the first of them operating by 2028.

In future combat where GPS navigation options can be jammed or eliminated, AI could help aircraft fly by following Earth's magnetic fields.

The U.S. Air Force plans an AI-enabled fleet of more than 1,000 unmanned warplanes, the first of them operating by 2028.

The United States is competing to stay ahead of China on AI and its use in weapon systems. The focus on AI has generated public concern that future wars will be fought by machines that select and strike targets without direct human intervention.

The USAF is working on several interesting AI solutions for unmanned aircraft from dogfighting to navigation to stay ahead of China.