The Alan Turing Institute has been awarded over £500,000 in UK government funding to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can strengthen monitoring and security efforts in the rapidly changing Arctic region.
The new research programme, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), aims to enhance the ability to detect security threats and navigate the complex environmental challenges of one of the planet’s most remote and strategically important areas. The Arctic, which is warming nearly four times faster than the global average, is becoming a growing focal point for geopolitical competition, resource extraction, and maritime trade.
“This research will help us to understand how to apply AI in exactly the right way to protect infrastructure in the region, detect hostile activity, better forecast sea ice and weather, and to help with navigation and search and rescue operations,” said Dr. Victoria Nockles, Principal Data Scientist at the Alan Turing Institute.
Historically, Arctic data has been sparse and fragmented, gathered from sources like undersea sonar and satellite imagery. Turing researchers will use AI to refine, standardise, and fuse these datasets, creating a clearer and more comprehensive picture of the region. The goal is to enable faster, autonomous surveillance across vast and difficult-to-monitor expanses.
The team will also use AI-enhanced modelling to assess how climate change has impacted underwater acoustics. As sea temperatures rise, the range of sonar sensors used for maritime surveillance has diminished dramatically—from about 60km to just 20km. The project will use AI to determine the optimal placement of these sensors, along with ideal monitoring points for sea and tidal amplitude.
Beyond surveillance, the programme will explore how AI can predict sea ice movement to support safer navigation and improve the speed and precision of search and rescue operations. It may also help identify unauthorized vessels engaged in illegal fishing or dumping of pollutants.
As the Arctic becomes more accessible, the Turing Institute’s initiative represents a critical step in harnessing AI to safeguard this fragile and increasingly contested region.
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