Exploring Secure Generative AI in Defence
In defence and other highly regulated sectors, Generative AI is already being explored as a way to improve efficiency, accelerate planning, and support decision-making. But adopting AI in these environments is not straightforward. Data sovereignty, assurance, and accountability all demand a cautious, structured approach. Here we examine how organisations can adopt it responsibly without undermining security or operational trust.
What Generative AI Is – and Isn’t
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an umbrella term covering a range of capabilities. Below are four of the most common approaches you’ll hear about in practice, and how they are used in industry.
| Machine Learning (ML) | Deep Learning (DL) |
|---|---|
| Definition: Algorithms that learn from historical data to make predictions or classifications. | Definition: A subset of ML using neural networks with many layers to analyse complex data (e.g. images, sound, language). |
| Industry Use: Fraud detection, predictive maintenance, demand forecasting. | Industry Use: Image recognition, speech recognition, natural language processing (chatbots). |
| Reinforcement Learning (RL) | Generative AI (GenAI) |
|---|---|
| Definition: AI learns by trial and error, receiving rewards or penalties to optimise its strategy. | Definition: Models that generate new content (text, images, code, simulations) based on patterns learned from data. |
| Industry Use: Robotics, autonomous vehicles, logistics optimisation, military simulations. | Industry Use: Drafting reports, simulating adversary behaviour, creating training material, accelerating analysis. |
Properly scoped, GenAI augments human judgement by accelerating exploration and drafting without removing accountability.
Why Generative AI Matters to Defence
At Logiq, our focus is on Generative AI because it enables a new form of human–AI collaboration. Unlike traditional AI that classifies or predicts, GenAI can create, adapt, and simulate, making it a powerful tool for:
- Challenging assumptions and testing scenarios.
- Rapidly turn concepts into fully detailed plans.
- Supporting decision-makers with tailored outputs.
Time, precision, and auditability are critical in defence. Generative AI compresses the time from question to first draft, helps teams explore multiple courses of action, and translates expertise into consistent outputs. Benefits include faster production of planning artefacts, rapid scenario testing, and generation of training material. This is not about outsourcing critical thinking, but equipping personnel with a capable assistant while retaining responsibility.
Getting Value from GenAI
The difference between a high‑quality and low‑quality output is the operator, you.
- Set a clear role: Give the AI a perspective to adopt (e.g. analyst, engineer, planner). This frames its responses in the right mindset.
- Add context: GenAI isn’t a mind reader. Specify audience, tone, format, and examples. Direct it to ask follow-up questions if gaps remain.
- Challenge assumptions: By default, GenAI tends to agree. Instruct it to critique your ideas, highlight risks, and surface alternative views.
- Think “what if”: Use AI as a critical friend to brainstorm scenarios, test options, and explore adjacent possibilities.
- Experiment and learn: You know your job best. Try GenAI on day-to-day tasks and see where it helps. Understanding its limits is key to unlocking its strengths.
Clear intent, context, and structured validation improve results. Assign the system a role — analyst, planner, engineer — to frame responses. Provide audience, tone, and format details. Instruct it to critique, not agree. Every output should be treated as a draft that requires validation. Over time, experiment with tasks to learn where GenAI accelerates work and where human craftsmanship remains essential.
Responsible Use – Do’s and Don’ts for GenAI use
Do:
- Own the output: If you generate it, you are accountable. Review and validate AI-generated content before sharing or using it in decisions. Responsibility sits with the operator, not the tool.
- Quality & Fact check: Generative AI can produce confident but fabricated answers (hallucinations). Treat every output as a draft that requires human verification, not a final answer.
- Operate securely: Always ensure the tool used is appropriate for the classification of data being inputted. Defence workloads often demand environments that are isolated, controlled, and compliant with security policy. E.g. ChatGPT web is not accredited vs Copilot 365 (Up to OS on the DISX Platform).
Don’t:
- Lose control of data: Never paste classified, personal, or sensitive information into uncontrolled AI platforms. Once shared externally, you may lose ownership or compromise security.
- Ignore bias or blind spots: Generative AI reflects the data it was trained on. Challenge outputs, test assumptions, and watch for skewed perspectives that could affect decisions.
- Become overdependent: GenAI can speed up tasks, but it must not replace critical thinking. Like glasses that weaken your eyesight if overused, leaning on AI too much can dull problem-solving skills. Always apply your own judgement.5. Assurance and Governance
Assured AI is essential for Defence adoption. JSP 936: Dependable Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Defence (Part 1: Directive) sets the policy baseline; ISO/IEC 42001 provides requirements for an AI Management System (AIMS); and the NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0) offers risk-based practices to evidence trustworthiness across the lifecycle. Together, these frameworks help ensure AI capabilities are trustworthy, observable, explainable, and auditable across their lifecycle — from concept and data ingestion through model deployment and ongoing monitoring.
Deploying AI Securely
Deployment models must align with mission needs, data classification, and infrastructure realities. Public cloud may be appropriate for lower‑sensitivity workloads when hardened. Hybrid keeps sensitive data on‑premises while leveraging cloud for approved tasks. Air‑gapped or wholly on‑premises deployments are necessary for highly classified missions. Note: use of public cloud in Defence must be justified against classification, risk management, and accreditation requirements on a per‑workload basis.
What We Deliver
What We Deliver
When it comes to operationalising AI securely, Logiq is your trusted partner. We deliver a comprehensive suite of AI services tailored to defence needs, focusing on secure implementation and tangible outcomes. Our core offerings include:
- AI-Accelerated Workflows: We identify and automate workflows to boost efficiency and decision-making. Integrating AI into your processes in a secure, tailored manner that fits your existing tools and data policies. The result is faster operations without compromising on control or compliance.
- AI-Enabled Solutions: Deploy AI with confidence using our secure solution delivery. We develop and integrate AI capabilities with built-in observability and explainability for trust. Every AI solution we build is integrated with your systems so that it works seamlessly in your environment.
- Assured AI Systems: Security and assurance are at the heart of our AI engineering. Every solution is built with data security by design, incorporating governance and risk controls from day one. We align with established frameworks like JSP 936 (the UK MoD’s policy for dependable AI), ISO/IEC 42001 (the new AI management standard for trustworthy AI), and the NIST AI Risk Management Framework. This means our solutions undergo rigorous testing, validation, and documentation to meet security and ethical requirements from concept through deployment. You can trust that an AI system delivered by Logiq has been vetted against the highest standards for reliability, fairness, and security.
- AI-Ready Teams: Technology is only half the battle, empower your workforce with the skills and confidence to use AI effectively. From hands-on training to tailored guidance, we help teams unlock the full potential of AI in secure, high-assurance environments.
Conclusion
Generative AI can help defence organisations move faster and think more broadly, provided it is deployed in assured, secure environments and paired with strong human oversight. Treat AI as a capable collaborator that accelerates professional work, not a substitute for it. With the right governance, deployment model, and skills, organisations can realise benefits while maintaining trust and accountability.
We help clients adopt and assure AI responsibly, aligning with sector standards and the realities of classified operations.
Ready to explore what Secure AI can do for your organisation?
We’d love to hear about your goals or challenges and discuss how secure, tailored AI solutions could assist. Feel free to reach out via our contact form or give us a call and unlock the value of AI securely and responsibly to strengthen your mission.