Defence Artificial Intelligence Centre

Accelerating UK Defence’s ability to harness the game-changing power of AI.

The Defence Artificial Intelligence Centre (DAIC) champions, enables and innovates artificial intelligence (AI) across UK Defence, working collaboratively with government, industry, academia and our allies for the strategic advantage of our Armed Forces.

Champion: act as a visionary hub, accelerating the coherent understanding, development and use of AI capabilities.
Enable: provide common AI services, good practice and a critical mass of expertise to support local adoption.
Innovate: rapidly develop, deliver and scale AI projects that generate breakthroughs in strategic advantage in support of Defence priorities.

Defence AI Centre

The Defence Artificial Intelligence Centre logo

About us

Our vision is that, in terms of AI, UK Defence will become the world’s most effective, efficient, trusted and influential Defence organisation for its size.

The DAIC was established by the Integrated Review in 2021 and first began operations in 2022. We are championing, enabling and innovating to transform Defence into an ‘AI-ready’ organisation for the strategic advantage of our armed forces.

We are enabling military use cases by working collaboratively with international partners across government, academia, and industry. Our work stretches from the back office to the frontline:

  • helping enhance the speed and efficiency of business processes and support functions
  • increasing the quality of decision-making and tempo of operations
  • improving the security and resilience of inter-connected networks
  • enhancing the mass, persistence, reach and effectiveness of our military forces
  • protecting our people from harm by automating ‘dull, dirty and dangerous’ tasks

The DAIC works collaboratively across Defence as a federated organisation, supported by a core team from:

Working with industry and academia

Our vision is to mobilise a more active relationship between MOD and the wider AI community, facilitating open collaboration and connecting the brightest minds to deliver strategic advantage.

As the DAIC continues to mature, we will capitalise on the UK’s AI leadership to guide and cohere technology development by establishing the appropriate development environment. Essential to this mission is a dynamic and integrated AI ecosystem where UK Defence works with a diverse mix of industry, academia, government and our allies to deliver strategic capabilities to our armed forces.

To enable this, the DAIC is working to develop:

  • A Defence and National Security AI Network to promote talent exchange and co-creation.  The network will encourage civil sector investment in defence-relevant AI research and development to simplify access to Defence data and assets, while providing a forum to share requirements and develop best practice across a range of activities - from policy and technical through to commercial and procurement challenges.
  • A dedicated industry and academia engagement team within the DAIC, staffed by a mixture of crown servants and secondees from the private sector, to ensure we are properly attuned to the perspectives and needs of our industrial (and academic) partners.

Ambitious, safe and responsible AI

Rapid technological changes in AI are reshaping societies, enhancing capability and transforming the character of warfare.

We are committed to developing and deploying AI-enabled systems responsibly, in ways that build trust and consensus, setting international standards for the ethical use of artificial intelligence for Defence.

We will develop and deploy AI-enabled systems for purposes that are demonstrably beneficial: driving operational improvements, supporting the Defence Purpose, and upholding human rights and democratic values.

Read more: Ambitious, safe and responsible: our approach to the delivery of AI-enabled capability in Defence

Join our network

DAIC works closely with the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) to help connect us with innovators both in the UK and abroad.

You can find out more about current opportunities and how to register for our Defence and Security AI Network by contacting your local DASA Innovation Partner.

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