Finnish military accelerates AI development in partnership with NestAI
The Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) will advance towards data-centric command and control, as well as modern information and knowledge management, and will develop the use of artificial intelligence in cooperation with leading companies in the field.
Text by Martti Asikainen, 5.11.2025 | Photo by Finnish Defence Forces
The Finnish Defence Forces has unveiled an ambitious artificial intelligence strategy that will see the Nordic nation’s military pivot towards data-centric warfare, announcing a partnership with domestic AI firm NestAI as part of a broader push to modernise its capabilities in response to Europe’s deteriorating security environment.
Beginning this year, the FDF will work with NestAI to accelerate indigenous AI development, with plans to establish a dedicated AI Centre of Excellence by early 2026. The move represents a significant shift in how Finland’s military approaches technological innovation, embracing closer ties with industry to ensure rapid response to evolving threats.
“In the Finnish Defence Forces, leveraging artificial intelligence and data-centric command and control, information and knowledge management, means that our working procedures and culture will change,” said General Janne Jaakkola, Finland’s Chief of Defence. “We need to be forerunners also in this field, in military national defence.”
Cultural transformation in military operations
The strategy, which centres on transitioning to what military planners call “data-centric command and control”, aims to combine structural data with personnel experience to support decision-making and improve operational efficiency. This approach marks a departure from traditional military information systems, prioritising the proactive use of data and analytics-supported decision-making across all levels of command.
Lieutenant Colonel Jussi Tuovinen from the Defence Command C5 Division, who led the strategy planning, explained that the transformation would emphasise “top technologies and product development capacities”, with cooperation with industry partners playing a central role.
The partnership with NestAI, a company backed by PostScriptum – the founder’s office chaired by Peter Sarlin, whose previous ventures include Silo AI – focuses on intelligent unmanned systems and command-and-control infrastructure. The firm operates across logistics, security and defence sectors.
“The competitiveness of Finland and Europe in the AI market is essential to ensuring our security,” Sarlin said. “Our collaboration with the Defence Forces has gotten off to a strong start, and we are pleased to see how even a large organisation can adapt quickly when necessary.”
New security landscape drives innovation
Finland’s push towards AI-enabled defence capabilities comes as the country navigates its new position as a NATO member state, having joined the alliance in 2023 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The shift in Europe’s security architecture has prompted Helsinki to reassess its defence posture and technological requirements.
The FDF already collaborates with various companies, research institutes and universities on AI and data processing projects. However, the new strategy emphasises building “resilient partnerships” that can strengthen both technological capabilities and operational readiness.
The forthcoming AI Centre of Excellence will serve as a hub for expertise, development capacity and cooperation networks, bringing together military requirements with cutting-edge technological solutions. The centre represents an attempt to build a comprehensive ecosystem around military AI development, ensuring Finland maintains sovereign capabilities in critical defence technologies.
The public version of the strategy document is expected to be published on the Finnish Defence Forces’ website, offering insight into how the military plans to balance technological innovation with operational security concerns.
As European nations increasingly recognise AI as a strategic imperative for defence, Finland’s approach of fostering domestic partnerships whilst building broader international cooperation networks may offer a template for smaller nations seeking to maintain technological competitiveness in an era of great power competition.
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