Event: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Education and Awareness Seminar
Talk: AI in Defence — From Awareness to Operational Advantage
Venue: SHHBIDSS Lecture Hall, Bolkiah Garrison
Date: 05 November 2025
Speaker: Dr Ajaz, School of Digital Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD)
🎤 Event Overview
The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), through the Defence Digital Transformation Steering Committee (DDTSC), hosted an AI Education and Awareness Seminar aimed at strengthening national understanding of AI’s role in defence and security. The event was jointly organised by the Defence Information Technology Unit (DITU) and the Centre for Science and Technology, Research and Development (CSTRAD), bringing together senior officers, technical personnel and members of the defence ecosystem.
🧭 Talk Summary
My talk, “AI in Defence — From Awareness to Operational Advantage,” presented current research from the School of Digital Science (SDS), focusing on how AI can strengthen situational awareness, decision-making, and operational agility.
Highlighted projects from our lab included:
- Military Camouflage Target Detection — leveraging multimodal AI to enhance visibility of concealed objects and personnel under realistic field environments.
- Personnel-to-Mission Optimization via Link Prediction — using graph-based AI to map skills, roles, and operational requirements for more effective mission planning.
- Broader AI-enabled capabilities that support defence readiness, including prediction pipelines, anomaly detection, and decision-support systems.
The talk positioned AI not merely as a tool for automation, but as a strategic enabler for future defence capabilities.
🤝 Connections & Collaboration
The seminar created valuable opportunities to connect with:
- The teams from DITU and CSTRAD, who co-organised the programme
- Senior MINDEF officers and DDTSC members such as Chief Information Officer (DITU) Lt Col Pg Nizam and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Dato Pahlawan Alirupendi.
- Representatives from AITI, presenting on AI governance and ethics
- SPI BN Sdn Bhd, offering an industry view on AI in national security
- The Smart Nation Office (MTIC), sharing Brunei’s National AI Strategy
These conversations highlighted a shared commitment to strengthening digital and AI capabilities across Brunei’s defence and security ecosystem.
🌟 Personal Notes
I am grateful to DITU and CSTRAD for the invitation and warm hospitality. Sharing SDS research alongside national stakeholders reaffirmed the importance of academic–government collaboration in shaping responsible, mission-aligned AI systems. Proud of the team’s progress — and excited for what’s ahead.
AI in Defence — Ministry of Defence (Brunei Darussalam), DDTSC Seminar