UK Urged to Embrace AI in Defence Amid Growing Global Threats

Labour MP warns the UK that it risks falling behind in defense if AI is not integrated across the Ministry of Defence.

The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) must integrate artificial intelligence (AI) across all operations to prevent adversaries from gaining the upper hand, warns Emma Lewell-Buck, Labour MP for South Shields. Her comments follow a Defence Committee report urging immediate action on AI adoption.

The report also focuses on AI’s importance for military planning, which is illustrated by the Ukraine case. AI technologies have offered significant sums in current warfare, and the UK needs to respond equally wisely.

“The MOD needs to embed AI throughout its operations,” Lewell-Buck told Forces News. “If we don’t act now, adversaries developing advanced AI will leave us vulnerable.”

This is why the Defence Committee has condemned the MOD for its attitude toward AI as an exotic addition instead of a key advantage. It demanded the MOD become an “AI first” organization – where AI thinking was at the core of the organization’s culture and ways of working.

The document examines weaknesses in Building the UK’s Defence AI capabilities, specifically in digital assets, data, and people. It suggests the formation of a sound defended focused AI framework under the Defense CDS along with a clear structural hierarchy.

There can be no better opportunity for the UK to seize the AI transformational agenda than in the ongoing Strategic Defence Review. MPs call on the MOD to consolidate dispersed AI projects in different departments into a single policy.

“This isn’t something individual service leads should handle in silos,” said Lewell-Buck. “AI needs to be embedded across the entire organization, under a unified leadership structure.”

The Defence Committee’s recommendations underscore the urgency of closing the gap between rhetoric and reality. The report calls for a robust Defence AI center and an integrated approach to ensure the UK remains a global leader in AI-driven defense strategies.

As global threats evolve, the UK must act decisively to ensure its defense capabilities are future-ready. Failure to adapt risks leaving the nation exposed to adversaries leveraging advanced AI technologies.

The UK stands at a crossroads in its defense strategy. By embracing AI now, the MOD can secure the nation’s future and maintain its global military standing.