MOD urged to learn from Ukraine’s war with Russia and ’embrace AI’

The ministry of defence (MOD) has been urged to swiftly adapt to artificial intelligence (AI)’s potential in defence to avoid falling behind its global adversaries.

According to the Defence Committee’s recent report, the MOD should learn from Ukraine’s use of AI on the battlefield, embracing it as a core part of its operations and strive to become an ‘AI-native’ organisation.

Emma Lewell-Buck MP, chair of the Sub-committee on developing AI capacity and expertise in UK defence, said that “with the global threat picture ever-worsening, and the pace of technological change moving at a rapid speed, the ministry of defence has no time to lose.”

This follows the MOD’s recent release of its ‘productivity portfolio’, a detailed approach to improve productivity through the use of AI and data.

The committee found that AI’s military value has already been proved in Ukraine, by offering tactical advantages of decision making, rapid data processing, as well as various autonomous technologies.

Lewell-Buck stated: “Artificial intelligence in defence is here to stay – the UK must move fast to avoid falling behind… Harnessing AI for defence requires not just updated technology but an updated approach.”

Identifying a significant disparity between the MOD’s tangible actions, and policy rhetoric, the report urged to close this “say-do gap”.

The committee advised the defence to use the ongoing Strategic Defence Review to modernise its approach, rather than its current strategy which lacks any actionable specifics to achieve meaningful AI integration.

The report highlighted the UK’s burgeoning potential as a leader in defence AI.

“While the UK’s Defence AI sector may not compete with the USA and China when it comes to scale, we can offer valuable specialism and sophistication”, said Lewell-Buck.

It stated a few key recommendations and targeted investment that the MOD should follow.

This includes identifying gaps in digital infrastructure, AI skills and data management and providing clear signals to the industry about MOD priorities in artificial intelligence.

The MOD should also simplify procurement processes, allowing smaller tech suppliers to collaborate with it, as well as addressing barriers such as complex security protocols for non-traditional partners.

Finally, the report called for a cultural shift within the ministry of defence, advising it to adopt the “fail fast” mindset from the tech industry, and its iterative development model to deploy quicker software-led solutions.

The committee also emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts with NATO and AUKUS allies, such as data sharing, ethical AI use, and joining capacity-building initiatives.