Modernizing Department of the Air Force Training and Education Approaches

Modernizing Department of the Air Force Training and Education Approaches

Leveraging Stackable Certificates for Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technologies

Kelly Piazza, Kelly Atkinson, Nelson Lim

Expert InsightsPublished Aug 11, 2026

The U.S. Department of the Air Force (DAF) is balancing (1) the demands of strategic competition and ongoing conflict with (2) the constraints of a workforce that is consistently tasked to do more with less. In this context, the DAF needs to adopt innovative approaches and strengthen its technological capabilities to prepare its personnel for the challenges of strategic competition and future warfare.

As warfare becomes increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence (AI), autonomy, cyber capabilities, and data-driven operations, the DAF may consider treating technological fluency as a core element of force readiness. RAND Project AIR FORCE researchers have identified stackable certificate programs in AI and advanced technologies as a potential way to build these skills over time in critical missions and career fields and to modernize existing professional military education curricula. They describe how such programs might be leveraged to the DAF’s benefit.

This work was conducted by the Workforce, Development, and Health Program within RAND Project AIR FORCE.

This publication is part of the RAND expert insights series. The expert insights series presents perspectives on timely policy issues.

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