In January 2026, the Deputy Wing Commander of Shaw Air Force Base directed the stood-up of the 20th Fighter Wing AI Accelerator Task Force — the only command-directed, wing-level AI task force in Air Combat Command. What followed was a 90-day sprint that produced 20+ operational AI tools across every major wing function, eight formally registered ACC use cases, and direct engagement with leadership spanning ACC, 15th Air Force, Joint Staff Pentagon, and the US Space Force.

This session presents the Shaw AFB model for grassroots operational AI integration — not as a theory, but as a documented, validated, and replicable framework built by a six-person cross-functional team spanning plans, security forces, software engineering, and executive support, operating entirely within existing resources and authorities. When two team members deployed on short notice mid-tasking, the remaining team absorbed the mission without breaking stride.

Attendees will walk away with:

• A replicable task force model that requires no additional funding or billets to stand up — built and sustained by an active duty team managing collateral duty AI development alongside primary mission requirements
• Practical case studies across maintenance, operations, plans, emergency management, legal, and personnel functions — covering the full spectrum of wing operations rather than a single functional area
• Lessons learned from real-world employment — including a base-wide HUREVAC exercise that validated AI-assisted decision support, reducing a 4–6 hour manual staff process to under 60 seconds and recovering 20–30 staff hours per named storm event
• A technical approach to local AI integration that significantly reduces token consumption for large document uploads — enabling wings to extract meaningful value from AI tools without incurring enterprise-scale infrastructure costs
• How Shaw's AI tools moved from wing-level prototypes to command attention and CSAF-level briefing within a single quarter — including an F-16 Technical Order search capability formally requested by ACC A4 leadership for command-wide replication

Shaw AFB's AI Accelerator Task Force did not wait for a program of record, a dedicated budget, or enterprise-level permission. This session is for the Airmen, NCOs, and leaders who are ready to do the same.