Cautious Data-Driven Evolution: Defence AI in Finland

Finland has ambitious civilian AI goals and a highly ranked research and education system, but defence AI policies are somewhat less ambitious. Defence AI was first piloted for support functions, followed by applications in military capabilities now emerging in various R&D projects. The Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) lists AI as a priority research area with use cases identified in virtually all areas of defence. AI’s disruptive impact is already visible on the battlefield in autonomous systems, and a further revolution may emerge through dynamic electromagnetic spectrum management. Transceivers combining communications with electronic warfare capabilities could simultaneously provide situational awareness and achieve blue force communications inoffensively to civilian frequencies all the while intercepting enemy communications. Such AI applications could enable new concepts of fighting, but this would require the FDF’s organizational culture to become more conducive to experimentation. The FDF recognizes data availability and management as key for AI development, in particular machine learning. FDF’s new holistic Data Concept aims at more flexible data utilization, but legal and organizational barriers pose several challenges. Apart from a few innovative projects, Finland’s defence AI seems to be somewhat lagging behind the ambitious national AI policies of others, with a cautious and very gradual approach. Publicly available information paints a picture of AI being procured in military-off-the-shelf systems, even if FDF’s R&D portfolio hints at the possibility of various original applications. Finland’s NATO membership, its F-35 acquisition and corresponding industrial R&D cooperation with the U.S. may significantly boost AI development.