U.S. Special Operations Command chief Adm. Frank Bradley recently warned that troops must be careful about how artificial intelligence enters the delivery of military force. The harder question is no longer whether the Pentagon will use commercial AI, but who will control the software once it becomes part of a mission.

The answer should be settled before deployment: For mission-critical AI, the United States government must retain the contractual and technical authority to stop the system, freeze an approved version, return to a previous version, and continue essential operations if the vendor relationship fails.