The New Arms Race: AI, Cyber and the Future of UK Defence

Technology is no longer simply supporting defence. It is becoming one of the central arenas of geopolitical competition.

In this episode of The Digital State Podcast, Paul Scully and Asad Ansari are joined by Lieutenant General Sir Tom Copinger-Symes, former Deputy Commander of UK Strategic Command, for a wide ranging conversation about how artificial intelligence, cyber, data, space and emerging technologies are reshaping defence, national security and the wider economy.

Sir Tom argues that success in the 21st century will increasingly depend not simply on whether a country can out produce its competitors, but whether it can out learn and adapt faster than them.

The conversation explores why AI should be understood as far more than generative AI and large language models, the UK’s potential to build competitive advantage in emerging technologies, and why government procurement will need to move much faster to keep pace with technological change.

They also discuss the role of SMEs, defence primes and private capital in scaling British technology companies, the importance of strengthening national resilience, and why defence needs to be explained to the public through growth, resilience and deterrence rather than simply through the language of war.

The discussion goes further into the challenges of misinformation, cyber threats and quantum technology, and why ethics, philosophy and critical thinking will become increasingly important as AI develops.

Sir Tom also shares his perspective on the future of skills and employment, the opportunities presented by gaming and esports, and why defence and government leadership may need to “flip the pyramid”, giving people closer to the frontline greater information, context and authority to make decisions.

At the heart of the conversation is a bigger question:

Can the UK adapt quickly enough to remain competitive and resilient in an era where technology is fundamentally changing geopolitics, defence and society?