Date: 1 March 2027
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Type: One-day senior forum
Website: aidefencesummit.eu
What Is the AI in Defence Summit 2027?
The AI in Defence Summit 2027 is a one-day senior forum taking place in Brussels, Belgium, on 1 March 2027. The event convenes defence, policy, and deep tech leaders with a focused mandate: to shape AI strategy, close capability gaps, and forge alliances for European security. Rather than a broad technology expo, the summit is structured as a high-level gathering where decision-makers across the defence and policy spectrum can align on priorities and translate strategic intent into actionable cooperation.
Brussels is a fitting host city. As the institutional centre of the European Union and the headquarters of NATO, it places the AI in Defence Summit 2027 at the intersection of policy-making and operational defence planning. That positioning matters for an event explicitly concerned with European security, where regulatory frameworks, funding mechanisms, and multinational procurement decisions are often made in close geographic and institutional proximity.
The summit’s agenda reflects the most pressing questions facing European defence today. It covers EU sovereignty, hybrid warfare, autonomy, and defence AI funding — four areas where artificial intelligence is reshaping both capabilities and vulnerabilities. By concentrating these themes into a single day, the AI in Defence Summit 2027 aims to give senior participants a consolidated view of where the continent stands and what alliances and investments are needed next.
Why It Matters for AI Professionals
For AI professionals, the defence sector represents one of the most consequential and fastest-evolving domains for applied artificial intelligence. The AI in Defence Summit 2027 addresses this directly, offering a venue where technical leaders can engage with the strategic and policy dimensions that increasingly determine which AI capabilities reach deployment. Questions of EU sovereignty and defence AI funding are not abstract for practitioners — they shape research priorities, procurement pipelines, and the regulatory environment in which AI systems for defence are developed and fielded.
Attendees gain exposure to the intersection of deep tech and defence strategy at a moment when European institutions are actively defining their approach to autonomy and hybrid threats. For those working in or adjacent to defence AI, the summit provides a rare opportunity to understand how policy decisions made in Brussels translate into capability requirements — and where industry and research expertise can contribute.
What to Expect
The AI in Defence Summit 2027 is organised around a set of core themes that define the current European defence AI conversation:
- EU sovereignty: Discussions on Europe’s capacity to develop and control critical AI capabilities independently.
- Hybrid warfare: Examination of how AI intersects with non-conventional threats and information operations.
- Autonomy: Consideration of autonomous systems and their role in future defence architectures.
- Defence AI funding: Exploration of financing mechanisms and investment strategies to close capability gaps.
The format is a senior forum, meaning sessions are designed for decision-makers rather than introductory audiences. Specific speakers, session times, and the full agenda are details to be announced. Those interested in the programme should monitor the official website at aidefencesummit.eu for updates.
Who Should Attend
The AI in Defence Summit 2027 targets a senior audience across three overlapping communities. From defence, it is relevant to military planners, procurement officials, and capability leaders assessing how AI changes operational requirements. From policy, it speaks to regulators, EU and national government representatives, and analysts working on security and technology governance. From deep tech, it is aimed at executives, researchers, and founders building AI systems with defence applications.
Given the summit’s emphasis on strategy, alliances, and funding, attendees are likely to be those with the authority to influence decisions — or those seeking to understand the direction of European defence AI policy in order to align their organisations accordingly. Developers and researchers with an interest in defence applications may also find value in the strategic overview the event provides, though the content is pitched at a senior level.
How to Register
Registration details, including pricing and attendance criteria, are to be announced. The official event website is the authoritative source for all updates: https://aidefencesummit.eu. Prospective attendees should consult that page for registration opening dates, fees, and any eligibility requirements for this senior forum.
