Dstl announce Kainos as AI Agile Delivery Partner
Kainos is delighted to be confirmed as Dstl’s (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory) new partner, to deliver cutting-edge science with the Defence AI Centre in a contract worth £7m for advanced rapid AI experimentation. Dstl is the science inside UK defence and security, and the armed forces.
The partnership was made public in November and discussed today as the new UK Artificial Intelligence (AI) defence technology strategy was unveiled at the London Tech Week AI Summit.
We are the first delivery partner to the Dstl Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems Experimentation Hub, Dstl’s contribution to the UK’s Defence AI Centre, announced by the Prime Minister in 2020.
We will work with experts at Dstl to quickly develop and test innovative AI techniques and software. One of the first projects will see Kainos developing advanced AI that will allow autonomous vehicles or systems to understand better their surroundings and provide improved situational awareness to their users.
The contract will support the national step up in data skills with the creation of up to 20 highly skilled data science jobs across the UK as well as developing new specialist roles to reinforce safe, ethical and operational AI.
Dr Paul Kealey, Head of Dstl’s Cyber and Information Systems Division said: “Dstl is delivering the most ambitious programme in its 20-year history – and we can only deliver on this by working with diverse talent from across industry and academia.
“AI has the potential to provide significant benefits across Defence from the back office to the front line by improving how we exploit our data.
“I’m delighted we are working with Kainos – a brand new supplier who will bring specialist expertise and experience as a leader in the civil world into defence.”
Brendan Mooney, Kainos’ CEO said, “We are delighted to have been selected to be AI Agile Delivery Partner for Dstl. We share the Ministry of Defence’s belief that when utilised effectively and responsibly, data and AI offers unparalleled opportunities for the future of defence.
“Thanks to the technical expertise of our people and our collaborative approach to working with our customers, we have a proven track record of bringing experimental AI to successful front-line operation for government departments including the Home Office and the National Crime Agency.
“Alongside our partners, Faculty and Actica, we are the leading AI partner to UK government and are excited by the opportunity to extend this relationship with this long-term engagement with Dstl.”
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