The UK Government’s Defence Committee, which examines the workings of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), has found a gap between “rhetoric and reality” at the department, in which the use of artificial intelligence (AI) was often mentioned but rarely used.
Despite its increasing use in defence by other nations, including Ukraine and Russia in the current conflict, in a new report published today, the committee has found the MOD is still treating the technology “as a novelty rather than something that will soon be a core part of defence’s toolkit.”
In a statement published today alongside the report, Emma Lewell-Buck MP, chair of the subcommittee on developing AI capacity and expertise in UK Defence, warned that the UK must act quickly to avoid falling behind.
“The use of AI in Ukraine shows that it offers a serious military advantage on the battlefield, and as AI becomes more widespread and sophisticated, it will change the way defence works, from the back office to the frontline,” she said.
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“Harnessing AI for defence requires not just updated technology but an updated approach, and in today’s report, we call on the Ministry of Defence to transform itself into an ‘AI-native’ organisation, fully integrating AI into its work and mindset,” she added.
The report highlighted a gap between the MOD’s rhetoric on AI and reality. While MOD policy documents describe AI as a transformative development, the committee said the department did not behave as though this was the case.
“While the Defence AI Strategy correctly identifies the potential for AI to transform defence, it offers few specifics on how this will be achieved,” said Lewell-Buck.
The committee observed that the department’s reluctance to embrace AI fully was partly due to a culture clash between the MOD’s risk-averse attitude and the “fail fast” approach that has come to define the tech industry.
Following its findings, the committee called on the MOD to identify the gaps in the UK’s Defence AI sector, including digital infrastructure, data management, and the AI skills base.
The committee found that the MOD also needed to modernise its procurement practices and become more transparent with industry about the type of AI the department was interested in acquiring, with clearer signposts for business opportunities and the skills needed.