This session explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping the UK's national security and defence landscape, with a particular focus on the rapidly growing influence of AI startups. As digital threats, geopolitical competition, and operational complexity intensify, agile early-stage companies are driving much of the innovation now underpinning the UK’s future security & defence capabilities. The event will examine real use cases, policy direction, and how startup-driven innovation is accelerating capability development across the national security & defence ecosystem.

Hearing from the Plexal Research & Insights team, you will get an overview of the key AI trends that have shaped 2025, while our panel delve into the theme of dual-use innovation and what this means in practice. Some of the key questions being answered in this session are:

• What type of commercial AI companies should look at defence and national-security markets to support their growth?
• How do procurement models, classification barriers, and regulatory frameworks help or hinder dual-use adoption?
• Where should the UK focus its investment to remain competitive in dual-use innovation globally?
• How can founders balance commercial growth with ethical, export-control, and security considerations?