United Kingdom Defense Seeks Novel Ideas That Explore Artificial Intelligence

The UK MOD is seeking novel and innovative proposals to help explore the role Artificial Intelligence (AI) can play in improving the MOD’s ability to conduct Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) during all activities below the threshold of war.   

The MOD is seeking ideas which could help defense:

•    Apply AI to identify actions in the sub-threshold information environment which are hostile.
•    Use AI to understand the intent and attribution of those actions.
•    Use AI to generate possible courses of action to provide response options.

The MOD is seeking innovations that can help develop the technology and understanding to enable processing, understanding and the exploitation of the vast quantity of data at machine speed, improving the MOD’s ability to:

•    Understand actions in the sub-threshold, and identify which are, or appear to be hostile.
•    Understand the implications and reach of activities in the sub-threshold.
•    Attribute actions to actors.
•    Identify likely or plausible intent or consequences.
•    Propose plausible response options.

Proposals should address at least one of three challenge areas:

•    Indicators & warnings – what is happening in the information environment?
•    Intent & attribution – who is doing it and why?
•    Courses of action – what can the MOD do about it? 

The MOD is looking to fund innovative proposals across Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs), with an interest in lower TRL ideas through to the application of AI techniques at TRL6. 

If you would like to submit an innovative proposal on Artificial Intelligence that can be leveraged to support the MOD in conducting Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance during all activities below the threshold of war, or for information on other opportunities in the UK defense and security market, please contact PJ Menner at the U.S. Embassy London via PJ.Menner@trade.gov.