Operational Agility in Dual-Use Education: A Study of AI, Critical Thinking and Virtual Resource Management

Abstract

This paper analysed the role of critical thinking and artificial intelligence in optimizing operational agility in the context of the use of emerging and disruptive dual-use technologies, from the perspective of civil and military technical education. The accelerated development of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and digital infrastructures generated complex and uncertain operational environments, which exceed the limits of traditional decision-making models. The research had a qualitative exploratory-analytical approach, based on the analysis of the specialized literature. The comparative civil-military analysis highlighted the convergence of the skills necessary for the use of dual-use technologies in maintaining cognitive control over technologically assisted decisions. Operational agility should not depend exclusively on technology, but on its integration with advanced cognitive skills. Critical thinking supports the contextual interpretation of information, the management of technological risks and human responsibility in decisions with an impact on security. The paper proposes an integrative conceptual framework and strategic recommendations for educational policies and civil-military cooperation.