Command authority will remain paramount: Lt Gen Shinghal at AI Summit 2026

Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit, he said that it is important for the military to decide which decisions must remain with commanders and which can be delegated to AI

In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) is being widely used across sectors, Lt Gen Vipun Singhal said that no matter how accurate and proficient AI becomes, human judgment, moral responsibility and command authority must remain paramount in military matters.

 

Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Lt Gen Singhal said that while AI can assist in decision-making, only humans can exercise judgment. “AI can inform decisions, but only humans can exercise judgment and bear responsibility for them. AI today has unprecedented speed, scale and efficiency. Those attributes are real. What deserves deeper reflection is something else — the new burdens AI places on leadership, command responsibility and strategic stability,” he said.

 

  

He outlined four questions that require deeper reflection within the armed forces. He said it is essential to determine which decisions must remain with commanders and which can be delegated to algorithms. “Firstly, which decisions must remain with the commanders, and which decisions can be delegated to data or algorithms? No matter how accurate or proficient they become, human judgment, moral responsibility and command authority remain paramount,” he said.