NPS Launches Fast-Track AI Master's to Close Fleet Skills Gap | WEST 2026

As artificial intelligence reshapes military operations at breakneck speed, the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) is launching an accelerated master's degree aimed at pushing AI-literate officers into the fleet as early as 2027. Speaking at AFCEA/USNI West in San Diego, Capt. Mike Owen, co-chair of the NPS AI Task Force, said the new program is designed to close a widening gap between the pace of technological change and the Department of the Navy's ability to train personnel to use emerging tools. Owen said NPS teams are also traveling to major Navy and Marine Corps hubs to deliver AI 101 and prompt-engineering workshops. He added that the rollout of GenAI.mil and increased access to AI models are enabling NPS students to explore the technology more deeply and deliver new capabilities to the Navy.