ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that the techno-centric focus on AI adoption in defence is a distraction as far as European strategic autonomy is concerned. AI introduces a new layer of complexity to European security and defence policy without significantly contributing to greater European strategic autonomy. The EU is currently ill-equipped to leverage AI technologies in defence along four dimensions: decision-making, technological development, operational capacity, and defence partnerships. Four reasons explain this. First, Europeans lack a common AI adoption strategy in security and defence which links technological progress and innovation to greater strategic autonomy. Second, Europeans are still struggling to close important technology and capability gaps in cyber and digital emerging technologies. Third, European decision-making in foreign, security, and defence policy is ill-equipped to accommodate the use of AI. And fourth, the role of AI technologies in enabling greater European strategic autonomy is secondary to geopolitical and exogenous factors. This chapter breaks new ground through a conceptual and empirical analysis of the relationship between technology and political autonomy in international organisations. It contributes to security and technology literature by conceptualising the relationship between AI technologies and political constructs of power and autonomy and by highlighting the pitfalls of techno-centric solutions.
