From Reliability to Fit: Trust, Adaptation, and Distributed Cognition in AI-Enabled Mission Command

Abstract

This special commentary argues that military articificial intelligence integration must pivot from model reliability to a “cognitive fit” within human-machine teams to ensure decision advantage under uncertainty. It advances beyond traditional artificial intelliegenceintelligence metrics by focusing on dynamic operational adaptation, and systemic resilience. The research employs an eco-cognitive framework, synthesizing John Boyd’s evolutionary theories with modern cognitive science and risk management principles. This analysis offers policy and military practitioners a crucial blueprint for designing command structures that preserve human judgment and mitigate risk.