GATE Institute hosted two NATO seminars on December 10 and 11, 2024, dedicated to the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) and data in the defence and security sectors. Organized in collaboration with NATO’s Data and AI Review Board (DARB) and NATO’s Innovation, Hybrid, and Cyber Division, the events brought together experts, policymakers, and representatives from Allied nations, government institutions, academia, and industry. These seminars positioned GATE as a key player in NATO’s innovation ecosystem and highlighted Bulgaria’s leadership in ethical AI.
The first seminar focused on AI acquisition and procurement practices, providing a platform for participants to discuss challenges and opportunities in aligning innovative technologies with operational needs. Insights were shared on creating mechanisms to ensure accessibility, efficiency, and ethical standards in AI procurement processes. On the second day, discussions centered on NATO’s Testing, Evaluation, Validation, and Verification (TEVV) practices for AI systems. Presentations from NATO Allied Command Transformation and NATO Communications and Information Agency emphasized the importance of robust TEVV frameworks. Allied industry representatives and AI test centres, including GATE, contributed valuable expertise, demonstrating the application of TEVV principles to create reliable and interoperable AI systems.
Day two featured special addresses by James Appathurai, Acting Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, Hybrid, and Cyber of NATO, and Georgi Angelov, Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth of Bulgaria. The agenda also included a presentation on NATO DIANA, highlighting the program’s role in fostering defence innovation. Bulgarian innovation business representatives attended, reflecting the importance of bridging the gap between emerging technologies and defence requirements.
GATE’s infrastructure and ongoing initiatives were showcased during the event. In her address, Prof. Sylvia Ilieva, Director of GATE and Bulgaria’s national representative in NATO’s DARB, highlighted the importance of collaborative innovation. She reaffirmed GATE’s commitment to supporting NATO’s mission by bridging the gap between cutting-edge technologies and ethical standards.
The GATE Institute was selected as the host for these seminars following an approval process by NATO Allies and the NATO International Staff. GATE’s high-tech infrastructure and role as one of NATO’s first Test Centres for Data and AI under the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) ecosystem underscore Bulgaria’s leadership in the field of ethical AI.