The Impact of AI & Emerging Technologies on Future Defence Strategy
The arrival of Generative AI has transformed all domains of business and is becoming an integral part of society. In this presentation we examine the potential impact in the Defence sector of AI, and in parallel the emerging technologies that are likely to accelerate the process. Specifically, the potential contribution of Quantum Computing and alternative computing paradigms. How will this rapidly evolving field shape the future of geopolitics and combat operations?

Dr Robert Hercock is a Chief Research Scientist in the British Telecommunications Security Research Practice. He has over twenty-five years’ experience in leading Cyber Security and AI research projects in the UK. His research interests include Cyber Security, A.I., Robotics and Complex Adaptive Systems. He was a member of the Royal Society Science and Industry Committee and is a regular adviser to the Royal Society on AI and Data Science issues. He has chaired an international workshop on adaptive cyber defence and has over thirty international publications in AI and security concepts, in addition to over 150 filed patents.

Professionally he is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the IET. He is a Visiting Fellow at SST:CCW. He has also served for several years as an independent technical expert for the UK MoD Defence Science Expert Committee (DSEC) and was a Business Research Fellow at the Santa Fe Institute in New Mexico.
Date: 4 March 2025, 13:30
Venue: All Souls College, High Street OX1 4AL
Venue Details: Old Library
Speaker: Dr Robert Hercock (British Telecommunications Security Research Practice)
Organising department: Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR)
Organiser: Changing Character of War Centre (CCW)
Organiser contact email address: info@ccw.ox.ac.uk
Part of: Changing Character of War (CCW) Seminar Series
Booking required?: Not required
Audience: Public
Editor: Elizabeth Robson