The Marine Corps has made completion of its Basic Artificial Intelligence Course mandatory for all Active Duty and Reserve Marines, including officers and enlisted personnel. Effective immediately, all Active Duty and Reserve Marines, both officer and enlisted, will complete the Basic Artificial Intelligence Course provided by Education Command and the College of Distance Education and Training no later than 31 December 2026. Civilians working within Marine Corps departments are also highly encouraged to take this basic course.
The directive frames Artificial Intelligence as a critical emerging and disruptive technology with both major opportunities and significant risks. Marine leadership is positioning Artificial Intelligence as central to maintaining operational advantage, while also stressing the need for ethical and effective use in complex environments. The broader goal is to create a force where personnel understand core Artificial Intelligence concepts, support innovation, and can apply informed judgment as these tools become more common across the service.
The Basic Artificial Intelligence Course is intended to provide foundational awareness rather than technical specialization. It introduces key concepts, practical applications, and use cases, with an emphasis on how Artificial Intelligence can support decision-making and mission effectiveness. Upon completion, Marines are expected to develop an intrinsic motivation to continue risk-informed experimentation with Artificial Intelligence tools to increase operational tempo. Intermediate and Advanced Artificial Intelligence courses are currently in development and will be available in FY-27.
The course is available through the Marine Corps eLearning ecosystem under course code CDETBAIC01 and can be completed on government or personal computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. The training content contains links to GenAI.mil, which currently requires a DoW CAC-enabled computer. Students taking the course on a personal device can complete the practical application training using commercially available large language models and Artificial Intelligence tools. The online course is projected to take approximately 45 minutes.
The requirement is a one-time training mandate rather than a recurring annual obligation. This is a one-time training requirement for all Active Duty and Reserve Marines and does not constitute an annual training requirement. Uniformed personnel who enter service following the release of this MARADMIN will complete this course within 12 months of completing their entry-level training. Completion will be recorded in the Marine Corps Total Force System and displayed in each Marine’s basic training record for unit-level tracking.
