Senator eyes updating NDAA with AI use guidance

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., talks with reporters in the U.S. Capitol after a Senate Armed Services Committee closed briefing on the Iran war on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Lawmakers are considering updating the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act to address how artificial intelligence systems are used in military operations following the fallout between Anthropic and the Department of Defense, one elected official said this week. 

Speaking on Wednesday morning during a conversation at the Brookings Institution, Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said he and fellow elected officials have been examining how effectively current legal operating frameworks are governing advanced AI technologies and how AI should be safely used alongside warfighters. The results of this analysis could potentially update governance provisions in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act. 

“For this next NDAA, I've been working with some of my ...