Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2024 to Question 8456 on Strategic Defence Review, whether there was a contracting process for the artificial intelligence software being used to assess responses to the Strategic Defence Review.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is working within Defence’s digital ecosystem to support the Strategic Defence Review, consistent with the Department’s Digital and Data Strategy. As part of the SDR, MOD has contracted under the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations (DSPCR), Regulation 16. An exemption can be used in certain situations where a contract is specifically for the purpose of research and development.

The tool is enhancing the team's ability to focus on high-value tasks, such as in-depth reading and discussion of the submissions, thereby facilitating a more comprehensive Review. AI is not a replacement, but an enabler of greater efficiency and just one part of the process. The Reviewers and supporting team are applying robust challenge to submissions through Panel Sessions during October and November.