The Very Long Game: Global State of Defence AI

This pre-event will be dedicated to presenting a book published in July 2024 on 25 national case studies of how armed forces of various countries view defence AI; how they are developing AI-enhanced solutions, adapting existing structures and processes, and funding their defence AI endeavours; to what extent defence AI is already fielded and operated; and how soldiers and officers are being trained to work with AI (see free-access volume here).

Is NATO’s nuclear posture doing what it is supposed to do; does it need adjustment, or should member states (nuclear and non-nuclear alike) go back to first principles? 

After a difficult year, can Ukraine gear up for success with aid from the West? How can Europe support Ukraine further in order to win the war of attrition? What are the lessons of technological change of Russia´s war in Ukraine? 

What is the effect of out-of-area ongoing conflicts on Europe’s security? How can Europe better mitigate current security challenges and prepare for future ones? 

Europe´s role in strengthening transatlantic security: leveraging from institutional collaboration 

What can Europe do to contribute more to transatlantic burden-sharing? Among a variety of global security concerns, how to maintain the United States’ strong involvement in Europe? How can NATO and the EU align their strategies, legal frameworks and policy instruments to counter multitude of threats? How can they leverage their combined industrial capabilities to enhance military readiness and what specific technologies should be prioritised? In what ways can they improve resource allocation and funding mechanisms to support joint defence initiatives, and what role does the defence industry play in this process?  

Quo Vadis NATO?

How do NATO’s new regional plans address the current geopolitical landscape? Facing a revisionist Russia and having refocused on lessons learned from the Cold War era, has NATO done enough to adjust itself to the new security environment? In what ways can NATO enhance interoperability among member states to ensure that all allies can meet the new defence capability requirements effectively? What challenges do NATO allies face in terms of resource allocation, political will, and industrial capacity to fulfil the capability requirements, and how can these challenges be addressed collaboratively? 

Will to defend: society and defence 

What factors contribute to a society’s willingness to defend itself, and how can these factors be strengthened to enhance national resilience? How can governments and civic organizations effectively communicate the importance of national defence to the public and what role community initiatives can play in cultivating a culture of defence and security within society? What role does civic education play in shaping public perceptions, and how can educational institutions contribute to building a more informed and engaged society? How can the experiences and perspectives of veterans and active military personnel be leveraged?