UK National Security Advantage from Disruptive Technologies

This paper explores how the UK can leverage science, technology, and innovation (ST&I) policy to secure strategic advantage in national security amidst global competition. It identifies the UK's strengths, needs, and risks and dependencies, offering actionable recommendations to enhance its position in the competition for seeking advantage from disruptive technologies. Drawing on extensive research and interviews, the paper provides a roadmap for policymakers to navigate the intersection of technology, national security and economic growth.

Key Recommendations:

• Enhance National Security Input: Increase transparency and communication from the national security community to strategically guide the ST&I ecosystem, including through enhanced use of problem books, sharpened technology strategies that prioritise strategic technologies over others and increased budgets for strategic investment mechanisms.
   
• Maintain Existing Assets: Protect the UK’s world-class academic sector and early research, thought leadership in AI safety, and tech diplomacy through strategic, patient funding and talent attraction.
   
• Secure Academic Research: Expand support for universities to comply with national security measures and improve collaboration between academia and the national security community.
   
• Scale Up Start-ups: Address the ‘valley of death’ by expanding milestone-based funding, leveraging the power of government as a first customer and investor and attracting trusted capital including from international partners.
   
• Foster Innovation-Friendly Regulation: Remove barriers to innovation by learning from Estonia’s regulatory practices and enhance the UK’s offer for testing environments.
   
• Strengthen International Tech Diplomacy: Continue convening global discussions on technology, maintain leadership in AI safety and increase diversity in technical standard-setting bodies.
   
• Commercialise Government IP: Incentivise civil servants to innovate by allowing them to retain a share of IP and expand mechanisms like Ploughshare to other government sectors to commercialise stagnant IP.

This paper underscores the need for focused priorities, cultural change within the national security community and strategic partnerships to ensure the UK remains competitive in the global technology landscape.