US Army tests AI drones and AR goggles with 5,000 soldiers

The U.S. Army is asking soldiers to test cutting-edge technology while still training for the fights of today. The service quietly rolled out a new program that lets units experiment with prototypes like AI-powered drones, augmented-reality goggles, and next-gen radios. The catch is that soldiers must also keep up with their regular combat drills, meaning they have to master new tools without cutting corners on the basics.

This balance act is the result of two big shifts in modern warfare. First, the Army’s top leaders have warned that future battlefields will move faster than ever, with faster decision-making and more data. Second, Congress has slashed budgets for big-ticket weapons, pushing the Army to rely more on software and commercial tech. The service now needs soldiers to be both guinea pigs and front-line fighters. The program started as small-scale tests in 2022, but it’s now expanding to more units this year.

Soldiers involved say the extra workload is tough but necessary. “We’re getting new gear thrown at us weekly, but we still have to do land-navigation courses and rifle drills,” said Staff Sgt. Maria Chen, part of an infantry unit testing AI scouts in Texas. The Army plans to collect feedback from over 5,000 soldiers this year through surveys and live exercises. Some tools, like a new tablet-based battle-command system, have already been tweaked based on soldier input.

The Army’s long-term goal is to field these technologies by the late 2020s, but the real test is whether soldiers can integrate them without weakening their core skills. If the experiment works, it could speed up how fast new tech reaches the battlefield. If it fails, troops could end up distracted or overloaded when the next conflict starts. The stakes are high: the Army can’t afford to train soldiers for yesterday’s wars while tomorrow’s fights are already here.