Consider a world where human decision-making and thought processes play less of a role in the day-to-day functioning of society. Think now of the implications this would have for the security and defence sector. Over the next few decades, it is likely that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will not only have major implications for most areas of society such as healthcare, communications and transport, but also for security and defence. AI can be broadly defined as systems that display intelligent behaviour and perform cognitive tasks by analysing their environment, taking actions and even sometimes learning from experience. The complex attributes of the human mind are well known, but to replicate most of these abilities in machine or algorithmic form has given policymakers and scholars pause for thought.

Let me start by thanking Antti [Kaikkonen, Minister of Defence of Finland] and all the Finnish colleagues for an excellent couple of days – 24 hours - of this informal meeting of the European Union Member States' Defence Ministers. It has been extremely productive and intense. Our agenda has been very heavy – heavy in terms of content, but light in terms of the kind of approach and relations we have had. The wonderful Helsinki sun has helped establishing a friendly atmosphere and I would say that the exchanges have been extremely consensual, productive and positive. Thank you for that, because your hospitality has contributed to set a positive and constructive tone.

We live in times of high-tech euphoria marked by instances of geopolitical doom-and-gloom. There seems to be no middle ground between the hype surrounding cutting-edge technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and their impact on security and defence, and anxieties over their potential destructive consequences. AI, arguably one of the most important and divisive inventions in human history, is now being glorified as the strategic enabler of the 21st century and next domain of military disruption and geopolitical competition. The race in technological innovation, justified by significant economic and security benefits, is widely recognised as likely to make early adopters the next global leaders. Technological innovation and defence technologies have always occupied central positions in national defence strategies.