Oxford Tech Start-Up Contributes AI Intelligence to UK Defence Review

An innovative tech company based in Oxford has played a crucial role in providing artificial intelligence capabilities for the government’s strategic defence review, conducted this week.

Previously, the US analytics firm Palantir, co-founded by Peter Thiel, a supporter of former President Trump, was acknowledged as the primary technology partner for the project. However, Oxford Dynamics, established in 2020 by Shefali Sharma, Edward Jackson, and Mike Lawton, was instrumental in the execution of the research.

Mike Lawton, a seasoned entrepreneur known for co-founding Oxford Space Systems, a company specializing in satellite antennas, stated that while Palantir delivered the IT infrastructure, his firm was responsible for supplying the “brains and core engine to process the information.”

The collaboration enabled government analysts to analyze and summarize a vast array of documents, amounting to tens of thousands from over 1,700 contributors. The strategic defence review (SDR), overseen by former defence secretary Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, was initiated in July of the previous year and focused on evaluating UK defence strategies, national security threats, military capabilities, and current budget allocations.

Sharma, 34, expressed enthusiasm about the government selecting their start-up for such a pivotal review, calling it an excellent validation of the team’s expertise and their advanced agentic AI technology. Edward Jackson, 33, remarked that the Ministry of Defence aims to cultivate an innovative ecosystem with UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to address emerging security threats, highlighting Oxford Dynamics as a prime example of this effort.

Lawton, 57, emphasized the significance of the government’s choice to utilize indigenous technology from Oxford Dynamics for this extensive project, which spanned over a year. He stated, “We exemplify the UK government’s commitment to harnessing the substantial potential of British companies. Why do we continuously rely on technology from abroad? We must leverage our world-class innovations instead of sending taxpayer profits overseas.”

He noted that obtaining the contract was a challenging process that involved a year of rigorous technical assessments. “The stakes were high, as any failure could have critical implications for the nation. It required extensive dedication, including late nights and rescheduling personal commitments, to ensure our technology successfully met internal testing benchmarks,” Lawton elaborated.

Oxford Dynamics reportedly received a six-figure payment for its contributions, becoming the first company to secure an Enterprise Agreement Lite with the Ministry of Defence. These streamlined procurement agreements were introduced to facilitate collaboration between smaller technology firms and the government.

Having previously collaborated with the MoD and received support from the Defence and Security Accelerator and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Oxford Dynamics has successfully navigated the funding challenges that many start-ups face. Lawton pointed out, “While the UK excels at research and development funding, we often struggle with the commercialization of these innovations.”

Lawton also mentioned that ongoing discussions with the MoD regarding additional contracts are taking place, and he believes that successfully contributing to such an impactful government initiative will strengthen their case for future clients. “Completing the SDR for the UK government is akin to saying: ‘Having conquered Everest, what other mountains shall we tackle next?’”

Louis Mosley, executive vice-president of Palantir for the UK and Europe, added that this innovative approach serves as a model for enhancing future government consultation processes, promoting a more effective and efficient methodology.