The Defence Artificial Intelligence Centre (DAIC), a Ministry of Defence (MOD) organisation which aims to develop and scale AI across UK defence, has launched a new tool to help how it evaluates and sources AI technologies.

The AI Model Arena, which has been developed in partnership with UK AI company Advai, will pilot a secure, standardised platform for suppliers to test and demonstrate their models against defence use cases.

The MOD said the AI Model Arena, which is vendor-neutral evaluation platform, will enable it to assess models across categories, including performance, reliability, robustness, and security, as well as provide an objective “demonstration by doing” mechanism for DAIC to conder scaling the technology.

It added that the platform will enable more dynamic supplier interactions, significantly reduce timelines by assessing up to 100 models simultaneously, and provide constructive feedback to suppliers to help them improve their solutions.

Additionally, DAIC said the platform will communicate priority defence use cases and initial key requirements ahead of the more comprehensive testing associated with pre-deployment stages.

The MOD added that up to 100 suppliers can be phased through a down-selection process, ensuring the best-in-class solutions progress.

The AI Model Arena builds on work previously undertaken by the Royal Navy in partnership with Advai and the Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE), a Home Office unit solving public sector data challenges, where the MOD first conducted independent side-by-side testing of AI models from multiple suppliers.

The MOD said this approach supports more confident procurement decisions while mitigating risks and ensuring performance, robustness, and security in mission-specific scenarios.

“This initiative is central to our ambition to adopt AI responsibly and at pace, ensuring we maintain a strategic advantage in an increasingly competitive landscape,” said head of DAIC, commodore Rachel Singleton. “I encourage all AI suppliers to engage with the AI Model Arena.

“This is your opportunity to showcase your capabilities, drive innovation, and help shape the future of defence AI.”

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