Artificial intelligence is not only a driver of change, innovation, and risk in the world of work and the economy. This also applies to the military sector. Comprehensive support from artificially intelligent automation in the defence sector is desirable and – as far as the Bundeswehr is concerned – also urgently needed. Artificial intelligence has enormous potential for defending Germany and deterring potential aggressors. What's more, we are already in the midst of a hybrid conflict in which strategic cognitive attacks on our democracy are the rule rather than the exception. AI can help here too, as well as in protecting the population and critical infrastructure.
However, the development of innovative AI-supported systems and their implementation in the domains of land, air, sea, space, cyberspace, communications, and the human requires a profound change in mindset within the Bundeswehr and the Federal Ministry of Defence, adapted planning and procurement processes, digital sovereignty, and closer cooperation with innovative companies, including start-ups. A workshop with over 50 experts, held by the Institute for Organisational Communication at the University of the Bundeswehr Munich, the Estonian Military Academy, and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in the fall of 2025, identified key potential and areas for action in AI-supported innovation. These lie primarily in five areas: ethical and legal frameworks, strategic reconnaissance and deployment scenarios, defensive and offensive autonomous systems, cognitive and communicative warfare as well as cyber defence, business planning processes and the organization of the German Armed Forces.
Artificial intelligence is a challenge that opens up considerable opportunities from a military perspective, but must be used in an ethically controlled manner. The latter means, first and foremost, that responsibility for AI missions lies with humans. Artificial intelligence is a must because, firstly, only artificial intelligence makes it possible to repel AI-supported attacks in all domains and to prevail in a possible war. In war, there is no second winner. Secondly, only through innovative and agile AI development and implementation can the Bundeswehr remain at the highest technological level and thus fulfil its tasks in defence and deterrence.
Read the discussion paper “Mehr KI für Verteidigung und Resilienz” from our Analysis & Arguments series here as a PDF. Please note, to date the analysis is only available in German.
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The series informs in a concentrated form about important positions of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung on current topics. The individual issues present key findings and recommendations, offer brief analyses, explain the Foundation's further plans and name KAS contact persons.