Military Generating Force Embraces AI-Driven Downsizing

Secretary Pete Hegseth directed a 20% reduction in four-star ranks; retired Lt. Col. Stephen D. Cook argues this is a necessary but insufficient first step. Cook urges dismantling Generating Force bureaucratic layers in favor of AI—GenAI.mil, enterprise agents, RAG, and digital twins—to shift humans from in-the-loop to on-the-loop and automate planning, testing, and budgeting by 2026.