(a) Policy update required
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall update policies and guidance of the Department of Defense, including by revising Department of Defense Directive 3000.09 (relating to Autonomy in Weapon Systems) and establishing or revising such additional Department policies and guidance as may be appropriate, governing—
autonomous and semi-autonomous weapon systems; and
artificial intelligence-enabled systems intended to support, recommend, or materially influence operational decisions associated with the employment of force, including systems used for operational planning, target development, weaponeering, or engagement recommendation.
(b) Required policy elements
In updating the policies and guidance required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall ensure such policies and guidance include—
criteria for categorizing systems according to such factors as mission context, autonomy, human involvement, and operational consequence;
appropriate and operationally responsive requirements for approval, validation, oversight, and authorized operational use applicable to categories of systems identified pursuant to the criteria in paragraph (1);
realistic and combat-effective requirements for operator intervention, override mechanisms, and operational resilience;
requirements to preserve existing human command responsibility for the use of force involving autonomous systems or artificial intelligence-enabled systems, including procedures to identify the human commanders or operators responsible for authorizing, supervising, and terminating such use of force;
appropriate requirements for auditability, traceability, and accountability;
criteria and procedures for rapidly fielding capabilities following material changes to software, models, data, or operational context;
requirements for appropriate and operationally responsive risk mitigation measures and notifications applicable to systems granted conditional or temporary operational use;
requirements for operational testing, evaluation, and human training commensurate with mission risk and operational consequence, including training to promote calibrated reliance on artificial intelligence-enabled systems; and
processes and timelines for periodic review and reevaluation of approved systems and operational use cases.
(c) Compliance with law
The Secretary shall ensure that the policies and guidance required by subsection (a) are consistent with applicable provisions of Federal law, including section 1638 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 ( Public Law 118–159 ; 10 U.S.C. 491 note), and applicable Department policies and regulations.
(d) Continuity of operations
This section does not require the Secretary to suspend or terminate any ongoing operations, activities, or programs pending completion of the updates required by subsection (a).
(e) Interim report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall provide a report to the congressional defense committees describing the progress of the Department toward completion of the updates required by subsection (a), including a preliminary assessment of the matters described in subsection (b).
(f) Final policy briefing
Not later than 30 days after the completion of the updates required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide a briefing to the congressional defense committees on—
the updates completed under subsection (a);
the rationale supporting the updates, including the assessment of the Secretary with respect to each matter described in subsection (b); and
any recommendations for authorities, resources, or statutory changes.
(g) Semiannual reports
Not less frequently than semiannually through December 31, 2032, the Secretary of Defense shall provide a report to the congressional defense committees regarding the implementation of the updates required by subsection (a), including—
systems and use cases reviewed under the updates required by subsection (a), including whether such systems and use cases were approved, restricted, suspended, or subject to additional review; and
any significant acquisition, resourcing, sustainment, or programmatic impacts resulting from implementation of the updates required by subsection (a).