NestAI develops battlefield AI to boost Europe's tech freedom

Finnish defense technology company NestAI said on Tuesday that it would begin developing artificial intelligence (AI) models for battlefield applications, as Europe seeks greater control over critical defense technologies, reported Xinhua.

Peter Sarlin, founder and chairman of NestAI, told Finnish language business daily Kauppalehti that the initiative was intended to strengthen Europe's technological sovereignty in defense.

"The intelligence at the core of European defense must be European-owned, and it must be built and developed on Europe's own terms," Sarlin said.

He said NestAI aimed to develop AI platforms that armed forces could own, control and continuously improve, rather than relying on fixed systems supplied from abroad. Europe remained heavily dependent on U.S. technology in defense-related AI, he added, underscoring the need for stronger European control over critical models and infrastructure.

Unlike general-purpose large language models, NestAI's project will focus on specialized AI systems for defense and battlefield applications.

According to Sarlin, battlefield AI systems must be able to adapt as adversaries, technologies and operational conditions evolve. Simulation-based training would allow defense forces to rehearse rapidly changing scenarios involving new drones, electronic interference and emerging tactics.

NestAI said the models would be developed in line with established military doctrines and rules of engagement, with AI-generated decisions recorded and made available for subsequent review.

Pilot versions of the models will initially be provided to the Finnish and Estonian defense forces, with other allied countries expected to follow.

NestAI signed letters of intent with the Finnish and Estonian defense ministries last week. The company has also recently announced cooperation with Finnish telecommunications equipment maker Nokia.

Elina Lappalainen, an analyst with a leading Finnish language national daily Helsingin Sanomat, noted that although drones and their control systems are already manufactured in Europe, the AI software underpinning critical functions is often developed abroad, leaving European users vulnerable to possible restrictions on access.

She cited recent U.S. restrictions affecting access to advanced language models developed by Anthropic, the U.S. AI company behind the Claude family of models, as "a wake-up call" for Europe.