Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine marked a watershed moment in European security and effectively ended the era of post-Cold War peace dividends. The return of large-scale interstate warfare to the European continent has underscored the necessity of maintaining credible military capabilities and resilient societies. Contemporary security challenges extend far beyond conventional armed conflict and increasingly include hybrid threats that combine military, political, economic, informational, cyber, and cognitive instruments of power.
In this environment, resilience has become a strategic imperative. States, their institutions, critical infrastructures, armed forces, private-sector actors, and civil societies must work together to prevent, absorb, and recover from shocks while maintaining essential functions during periods of crisis and conflict. The ability to anticipate threats, respond rapidly, and adapt to changing circumstances has become a decisive factor in national and collective security.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as one of the most significant technological enablers of this transformation. Advances in machine learning, deep learning, data analytics, and autonomous systems are reshaping economic activity, governance, military operations, and security practices at an unprecedented pace. As a general-purpose technology, AI is increasingly comparable in significance to previous transformative innovations such as electricity, the internet, and industrial automation. Its widespread adoption is expected to influence productivity, competitiveness, military effectiveness, and ultimately the global distribution of power.
The security implications of AI are particularly far-reaching. Modern military operations generate enormous volumes of data from sensors, satellites, intelligence networks, cyber systems, and operational platforms. Human decision-makers alone are increasingly unable to process this information within the timeframes required for effective action. AI-supported systems offer the potential to overcome these limitations by accelerating data processing, improving situational awareness, supporting operational planning, and enabling faster and more informed decision-making across multiple domains.
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