Select committee: Defence Committee
Conclusion 19
2nd Report - Developing AI capacity and expertise in UK defence
Published 10 Jan 2025
Addressed to Ministry of Defence
Defence Committee All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
MOD should aim to cultivate a more dynamic ecosystem of smaller AI companies working in Defence. It should do this by: • sending a clear demand signal to those companies about what kind of AI it is interested in acquiring, and clearly signpost how smaller companies—including those who have never worked with MOD before—can access opportunities to sell to the department; • sending a clearer signal to the capital markets that it takes developing an ecosystem of UK AI companies seriously, to increase investor appetite for the sector; • sponsoring promising early stage research and development with potential defence applications, to help develop proofs of concept while building a skills and industry base in the UK; and • developing ways in which start-ups and SMEs can partner with established defence primes to build their capacity and expertise. (Recommendation, Paragraph 66)
From: Defence Committee, 2nd Report - Developing AI capacity and expertise in UK defence (HC 590), 10 January 2025
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 4 April 2025.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government welcomes the report and agrees with most recommendations, in several cases in general terms or subject to the outcome of the Strategic Defence Review.
- On the Strategic Defence Review, it "agrees in general terms" that specific actions should normalise AI use, though the response "cannot pre-empt the findings of the SDR".
- On the Defence AI Strategy, it believes it is "more pertinent to focus on shaping our future approach" and anticipates the need to refresh its strategic approach, while agreeing that specific, measurable actions will be essential.
- On a new fund to scale innovations, it says ongoing discussions with HM Treasury "prevent a direct response", and will raise the recommendation with the Treasury "where it is appropriate to do so".
- On the Digital Strategy for Defence, it "partially agrees" and plans a refreshed digital strategy with an implementation plan and metrics; it says the Digital Backbone has no completion date.