China's military has launched an urgent, sweeping campaign to integrate artificial intelligence across its entire force - from autonomous combat drones and cyber-defense tools to deepfake generators and satellite-targeting algorithms. Researchers at Georgetown University's Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) have examined thousands of publicly available PLA procurement requests from the last three years, and the scale of the effort is striking.

The study, authored by Sam Bresnick, Emelia S. Probasco, and Cole McFaul and published in Foreign Affairs, finds the PLA "fostering an ecosystem for rapid AI development that connects novel research with frontline operations," "Hvylya" reports.

The procurement documents cover a dizzying range of applications. The PLA is prototyping AI systems to pilot autonomous combat vehicles, detect cyberattacks, track vessels at sea, and identify targets across land, sea, and space. The Chinese military is also building tools to generate deepfake images and video for disinformation campaigns, developing swarms of aerial drones capable of coordinating attacks, and creating hardware and software for robotic dogs and humanoid robots.

Beijing's approach rests on speed and pragmatism. Rather than waiting for breakthroughs, the PLA is "experimenting with what is currently available and betting that incremental advancements will accrue over time," the researchers write. Many of the procurement documents feature short development timelines, enabling fast and relatively cheap iteration across domains.

The effort represents what the researchers describe as a "whole-of-force transformation" rather than a series of isolated programs. China views its military AI push as the third phase of a long-planned modernization - following mechanization and informatization - and aims to build a force that can learn, adapt, and make decisions faster and more accurately across all warfighting domains. The September 2025 Victory Day parade in Beijing, which showcased collaborative combat aircraft, uncrewed ground vehicles, and drone swarms, signaled that this third phase is well underway.

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