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France plans to open an international center for military artificial intelligence (AI). The armed forces ministry wants it to start work in summer 2027. The aim is to make Europe stronger in defense technology and less reliant on US tech firms.
The center would support the development and wider use of AI across defense operations. A ministry official shared the plan at a briefing on Thursday, November 12.
France wants NATO to recognize the center as an international hub for defense AI. The ministry has not yet fixed how the center will be funded. It has also not named the countries that will join.
France has invited officials from several countries to a conference next week. There, it will present the plan and discuss who may take part. Its structure, financial commitments, and research areas have not been shared. For now, the plan is still at an early stage.
AI has grown in importance in military work since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Armies now collect huge amounts of data from drones, satellites, and other surveillance systems. AI tools help soldiers sort this data fast. They can spot changes on the ground and make decisions sooner.
These tools are useful as modern forces gather far more information than personnel can analyze on their own. The need for systems that can read all this data keeps growing.
Even so, Europe still relies heavily on American firms for military AI software. Palantir, a US company, is one of the firms that supply such tools.
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The new center shows Europe's push to stand on its own in defense technology. European nations have been increasing spending on military AI and looking for ways to develop their own tools.
If the plan goes ahead, it could also bring European countries closer as AI takes a bigger role in national security. Many questions remain about funding and members. Next week's conference will be the first test of how much interest other countries have.