Redazione RHC : 12 August 2025 11:06
Johns Hopkins University in Maryland is preparing to upgrade its AI-powered wargaming tools to help the Pentagon identify adversaries’ weaknesses in real-world conflicts. The work, conducted at the university’s Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), involves upgrading two systems, Generative Wargaming (GenWar) and the Strategic AI Gaming Engine (SAGE), using proprietary data for Department of Defense programs.
Wargaming, used to practice decision-making in complex and uncertain environments, remains a key tool for analyzing human behavior in complex and uncertain contexts through experiential learning. However, traditional wargaming requires skilled facilitators and complex design, which reduces the speed and scalability of the process.
GenWar combines generative AI, modeling, simulation, and human expertise to create and execute scenarios in days instead of months, analyze dozens of alternative futures, and focus human experts on the most meaningful scenarios.
According to Andrew Mara, director of the National Security Analysis Office at the APL, the Pentagon has been looking for solutions like this for over a decade. Now, he believes, necessity and technology have met, and the combination of cutting-edge technology and an experienced team could change the very nature of war gaming.
SAGE, currently in beta testing with former senior Pentagon officials, is taking things a step further by using generative AI to replace human players. This allows it to simulate multiple scenarios, find unexpected outcomes, and identify patterns that might escape human attention.
James Miller, deputy director for policy and analysis at the APL, noted that the value of AI in wargaming lies in broadening the horizon of possible solutions, including those that humans might not consider. Experts can then focus on key outcomes.
GenWar integrates AI not only into the game loop, but also into the simulation processes, allowing non-technical users to work via a chat interface. Analysts, planners, and operators can quickly generate and evaluate dozens of possible courses of action, and the system provides physical verification of decisions, explained APL.
APL believes that introducing artificial intelligence into wargaming will allow a wider range of specialists to access sophisticated analytical tools and accelerate preparation for potential conflict scenarios.
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