The U.S. Air Force has begun piloted flights and autonomy testing for modified F-16 fighter jets, according to multiple reports. The changes are intended to enable artificial intelligence (AI) agents to assist with, or potentially carry out, certain aircraft control functions during test flights. All outlets describe the effort as a step in evaluating autonomous or semi-autonomous capabilities on an operational aircraft platform, with flights carried out under human supervision at this stage. The reporting notes that the program’s initial phase includes both piloted missions and autonomy-focused tests, indicating that the Air Force is assessing performance, safety, and system behavior as the autonomy features are integrated and evaluated. While the articles do not provide detailed technical specifications or specific locations, they consistently characterize the start of the test program as a recent milestone for the modified F-16s and frame it as part of broader experimentation with AI-enabled flight operations. The coverage aligns on the overall purpose: testing whether AI agents can function reliably in flight.