UK’s MoD Launches ‘Defence Centre for AI Research’
July 15, 2022 -- The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has announced the formation of the Defence Centre for AI Research (DCAR) as part of the newly released Defence AI Strategy and the recently established Defence AI Centre.
The Centre is being launched in conjunction with the Alan Turing Institute, the UK’s institute for AI and data science.
Funded through the Ministry of Defence’s Chief Scientific Advisor, the Centre will focus on the underpinning problems associated with enabling advances in AI capability. Examples include areas such as:
- low short learning – the ability to train machines to learn without the need for vast amounts of data
- the application of AI to war gaming
- understanding the limits of AI models
- managing multiple sensors
- human-centric AI
- ethics
In many cases, it is expected that outcomes will not only be of interest to defense but also the wider UK economy.
Whilst based in London, Turing will use its outreach to engage with universities around the country, drawing together the UK’s best expertise.
The establishment of the Centre is expected to result in the creation of at least 5 to 8 new academic posts starting from September 2022, with the potential to grow further.
Glen Hart, Senior Principal Scientist from Dstl, commented, "The DCAR will be a center of excellence which provides real focus to developing and applying AI ethically in defense contexts."
The Defence AI Strategy was published in June 2022 with the vision that, in terms of AI, the UK’s MOD will be the world’s most effective, efficient, trusted and influential defense organization for its size.
The MOD is committed to developing AI in an ambitious, safe and responsible way.
The creation of the DCAR follows the launch in June of the Defence Data Research Centre (DDRC) under a consortium led by the University of Exeter.
Source: Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
