The Consequences of Implementing AI in a Military and Defence Security Environment

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This research aims to answer the following research questions: AI as a weapon: how is AI developed, deployed, implemented and monitored in the military (and/or national security)? What controls are required to manage responsible and/or de-escalatory use of 'weaponised AI' capabilities? In order to approach these questions, the researcher is pursuing a grounded approach, developing theory based on strategy and policy documents as well as data gathered from the field through practitioner interviews, fieldwork and ethnographic observation. These methods involves attending a range of military and technical events looking at AI and defence, as well as a two month placement at the NATO cooperative cyber defence centre of excellence in Tallinn. By drawing insights on how AI technology is being implemented in practice in this environment, the researcher hopes to accurately map out security threats and analyse the relative success of mitigation for these threats (for example, through regional market regulation, military innovation policy, and the development, national and international norms. This research lies within EPSRC's remit alongside the goals of the information security PhD programme as it uses interdisciplinary methods to explain key technical security concerns in the national security environment. Placing emerging technology in the context of economic, social and political developments, this research will further the lively debate occurring around AI-enabled technical deployment in controversial environments, and how unforeseen negative consequences may be avoided.