How The US, Israel And Iran Are Using AI-Led Tactics In Battle; What It Means For The Future Of Conflicts

Last Updated:April 01, 2026, 07:55 IST

AI is not making decisions entirely on its own, human oversight remains. But the speed at which information is processed leaves far less room for deliberation

In late February, the United States and Israel launched coordinated military operations code named Epic Fury and Roaring Lion against Iran. It marked the largest US military action since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In the weeks that followed, US Central Command struck more than 11,000 targets. Iran responded with over 500 ballistic missiles and 2,000 drones with its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in the opening strikes.

The scale alone was staggering but what set this conflict apart was not just the numbers, it was how the war was fought. Artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and commercial technologies were not in the background. They were central to how decisions were made, how targets were identified, and how quickly operations unfolded.

Is Iran War the First AI-driven War?

According to Shyam Sankar, chief technology officer at Palantir Technologies, the answer may well be yes. He has described the ongoing conflict as the first major combat operation powered by artificial intelligence.

Shyam Sankar, chief technology officer at Palantir Technologies, says the ongoing war in Iran will be remembered as the first major combat operation powered by artificial intelligence (AI).

Palantir’s Sankar told Bloomberg TV that the ongoing war between the US, Israel, and Iran may be considered the first major conflict driven by AI. He said, “Obviously, current operations are ongoing, but people will reflect back and say this is the first large-scale combat operation that was really driven, enhanced, and made substantially more productive with technology, with AI."

That claim does not mean previous wars lacked technology. Military systems have long relied on advanced tools, from satellite surveillance to precision-guided weapons. What has changed here is the level of integration. AI is no longer assisting at the edges. It is embedded in the core of operations.

This shift is less about invention and more about scale. The systems are faster, more connected, and able to process vast amounts of data in real time. The result is a battlefield that moves at a different pace.

How is AI Being Used on The Battlefield?

The role of AI in this conflict is tied closely to what military planners call the ‘kill chain’, the process of identifying a target, deciding on action, and carrying out a strike.

AI systems are now able to process vast amounts of military intelligence at unprecedented speed. Brad Cooper, head of the US Central Command, confirmed their use in the conflict with Iran, noting, “These systems help us sift through vast amounts of data in seconds, so our leaders can cut through the noise and make smarter decisions faster than the enemy can react."

“Advanced AI tools can turn processes that used to take hours and sometimes even days into seconds."

In earlier conflicts, each step involved layers of human review. Now, AI systems are helping to compress that timeline. Data from drones, satellites and other sources is analysed almost instantly. Targets can be identified and prioritised in seconds.

A former Israeli Mossad agent reportedly described the strike that killed Khamenei in stark terms: sixty seconds. That is the time it took from identification to action.

AI is not making decisions entirely on its own, human oversight remains. But the speed at which information is processed leaves far less room for deliberation. What used to take hours or days can now happen in minutes.

The conversation is not limited to military circles. Leaders in the technology industry are also weighing in, often with very different perspectives.

Jensen Huang, chief executive of Nvidia, recently suggested that artificial general intelligence, often referred to as AGI has effectively arrived. Speaking on a podcast with computer scientist Lex Fridman, Huang argued that AI systems have reached a level where they can perform complex, human-like tasks across domains.

At the same time, he acknowledged limits. Current systems, he said, would not yet be capable of building a company like Nvidia itself.

AGI remains loosely defined. For some, it means machines that match or exceed human intelligence. For others, it is more practical—systems that can independently run complex operations, including businesses.

In contrast, voices within Europe are urging caution. Leadership at Siemens has suggested that Europe should slow down its push for AI sovereignty. The concern is not just about capability, but about control, regulation and unintended consequences.

The war involving the United States, Israel and Iran is not the first to use AI. But it may be the first where its role is visible enough to define the narrative.

That visibility matters, it shapes how governments, militaries and the public understand the future of conflict. It also raises questions about how prepared existing systems are to manage these changes.

The involvement of commercial technology companies further blurs the lines. Tools developed for civilian use are now being adapted for military purposes. This overlap complicates regulation and accountability.

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