The Pentagon did not become 'AI-first' because Operation Epic Fury succeeded — it became AI-first before the campaign began, through a series of expanded contracts that locked in the posture before any live test. Defense Secretary Hegseth's 'AI-first' fighting force declaration was institutional confirmation of a decision already embedded in procurement. What the Iran campaign added was public evidence: Maven usage surged, the targeting pipeline operated at a scale the DoD had not previously acknowledged, and the results — including errors — are now part of the public record.