Advanced artificial intelligence (AI) is set to be "rapidly" employed into Aukus military capabilities after a trial led to “world firsts” being achieved with the technology, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.
The trials undertaken by the trilateral partnership will help “uphold the principles of freedom and democracy around the world”, the US said.
The experimental work included the live retraining of models in flight and was carried out in Upavon in Wiltshire in April, according to the MoD.
AI was used to improve performance against known targets and to be able to identify emergent targets, involving vehicles such as the UK’s Blue Bear Ghost and Challenger 2 tanks.
Among other equipment used were Warrior armoured vehicles, Viking unmanned ground vehicles and a commercially hired FV433 Abbot self-propelled gun and former Eastern Bloc BMP OT-90.
Joint machine-learning models were developed and also quickly updated to include new targets, the MoD said.
In a press release, the MoD said they achieved “world firsts, including the live retraining of models in flight and the interchange of AI models between Aukus nations”.
The event was attended by senior Aukus leaders including Britain's Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff Gen Rob Magowan.
“This trial demonstrates the military advantage of Aukus advanced capabilities, as we work in coalition to identify, track and counter potential adversaries from a greater distance and with greater speed," he said.
“Service personnel, scientists and engineers from our three nations combined to develop and share critical information to enhance commanders’ decision-making.
“Accelerating technological advances will deliver the operational advantages necessary to defeat current and future threats across the battlespace.
“We are committed to collaborating with partners to ensure that we achieve this, while also promoting the responsible development and deployment of AI.”
US, UK and Australia announce joint security initiative - video
Abe Denmark, US senior adviser to the secretary of defence for Aukus, said: “We recognise the immense importance of this collaboration in strengthening the collective national security of our nations.
“The development and deployment of advanced artificial intelligence technologies have the potential to transform the way we approach defence and security challenges.
“This capability demonstration is truly a shared effort and is thus a critical step in our collective initiative to stay ahead of emerging threats.
“By pooling our expertise and resources through our Aukus partnerships, we can ensure that our militaries are equipped with the latest and most effective tools to defend our nations and uphold the principles of freedom and democracy around the world.”
Hugh Jeffrey, Australian deputy secretary of strategy, policy and industry, said: “I was impressed to see AI models rapidly updated at the tactical edge to incorporate new targets, which were immediately shared among the three partners to deliver decision advantage and meet changing mission requirements."
More than 70 military and civilian defence personnel and industry contractors were involved in the exercise, the MoD. said
The Aukus partnership was first announced in 2021 as Australia sought to respond to China’s actions in the Pacific.
Ties between the countries were reinforced as the UK published its updated integrated review of foreign and security policy, which highlights China’s “more aggressive stance”.
The deal caused a diplomatic rift with France, which had expected to supply diesel-powered submarines to the Australian government.
It has so far involved a pact to deliver a new generation of nuclear-powered attack submarines, which would be in operation for the Royal Navy by the late 2030s under current plans.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Winner: Sea Skimmer, Gabriele Malune, Kareem Ramadan
AUSTRALIA%20SQUAD
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Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
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