The UK Ukraine AI partnership will give Britain access to Ukraine’s Avengers AI Labs, bringing together Ukrainian battlefield experience, operational data and engineering expertise with the UK’s AI ecosystem. The agreement, signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Andy Burnham in Ukraine, will focus initially on defence and national security. Under the partnership, British innovators and researchers will gain access to data and insights collected across the battlefield. The UK government described Avengers AI Labs as a “goldmine of battlefield data,” offering researchers access to real-world operational information used to train AI models.

How Avengers AI Labs Uses Battlefield Data

The data is collected through thousands of daylight cameras and infrared sensors deployed across the battlefield. The systems capture images and information involving tanks, artillery, air defence systems, infantry and aerial targets, including Shahed drones and reconnaissance UAVs. The data is used to train AI models to recognize and classify battlefield objects. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry has previously said that systems trained using the Avengers Labs platform analyze more than 100,000 drone video feeds each month and help identify about 70% of enemy targets in real time. The UK’s access to the platform is intended to allow British startups, researchers and engineers to work with operational insights and develop technologies based on real-world datasets. The partnership will initially bring together engineers, academics, businesses and military operational expertise from both countries to address national security challenges. The two countries will also explore additional platforms for future collaboration.

UK Ukraine AI Partnership Test New Defence Technology

Several pilot projects involving British startups have already been rolled out as part of the agreement. The companies named are Bristol-based Sintela, Oxford’s Mind Foundry and London’s Skyral. The first technology is due to be deployed at a UK defence site to help protect bases from protestors and hostile actors seeking intelligence. The project combines Ukrainian data with UK technology and turns buried fibre-optic cables into an AI-enabled sensor. The technology could also be used in other critical locations, including airports, prisons, railways and energy plants, according to the information released about the partnership. A second project will examine the development of next-generation low-power AI chips designed for future drones, robotics and autonomous systems. If successful, the technology could support machines designed to operate for longer, respond faster and function in environments where conventional systems face limitations.

AI Sovereignty and Defence Innovation

The agreement forms part of the UK and Ukraine’s 100 Year Partnership and expands cooperation between the two countries in AI and defence technology. The UK will provide access to its universities, researchers, technology companies and AI ecosystem, while Ukraine will provide access to operational experience and datasets generated during the war. Minister for AI Kanishka Narayan described the arrangement as AI sovereignty in practice, focused on developing national capabilities and turning frontline experience into technologies for military and critical infrastructure protection. The partnership also follows the UK government’s announcement that defence firm MBDA can release classified information on UK components for the long-range SCALP missile to establish local assembly lines in Ukraine. The broader agreement is intended to combine Ukrainian battlefield data with British scientific, engineering and technology expertise, with the initial focus remaining on defence, national security and the development of future defence technology.

Ofcom has announced tougher measures aimed at stopping the spread of non-consensual intimate images and AI-generated deepfake abuse online, as the UK regulator pushes tech companies to strengthen user safety protections. The updated guidance, released Monday, will require platforms to do more to identify, detect, and remove illegal intimate content shared without consent. The changes are part of Ofcom’s strengthened Illegal Content Codes under the UK’s Online Safety Act and are expected to come into force in autumn 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. At the centre of the updated rules is the growing concern over deepfake intimate images, including AI-generated nude content and manipulated explicit media targeting women and girls online.

Tech Platforms Asked to Deploy Hash Matching Technology

Under the proposed measures, Ofcom is recommending that certain platforms and apps expand their use of automated detection systems known as “hash matching” technology to identify and block illegal intimate images before they spread further online. Hash matching works by converting harmful images into unique digital fingerprints, or hashes, which are then stored in a database. When users attempt to upload the same or similar content again, platforms can automatically detect and block the material. Ofcom specifically referenced the use of databases such as StopNCII, one of the leading systems designed to combat the spread of non-consensual intimate imagery online. The regulator said the move is aimed at providing stronger protections for women and girls who are increasingly being targeted through AI-enabled abuse and image manipulation. According to Ofcom, the updated recommendations, combined with new UK legislation banning “nudification tools,” could significantly reduce the circulation of harmful intimate content online.

UK Government Pushes Faster Removal of Non-Consensual Intimate image

The tougher stance follows recent action by the UK government to pressure technology companies into removing abusive content more quickly. Earlier this year, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed legislation introducing heavy penalties for platforms that fail to promptly remove illegal intimate images. Under the law, companies may face substantial fines if they do not take down reported content within 48 hours. Authorities have also warned that services repeatedly failing to comply could face restrictions or blocking in the UK. The government said the rules are intended to prevent victims from repeatedly reporting the same harmful images while waiting for action from online platforms. The push for stricter enforcement comes amid rising global concern over the misuse of generative AI tools to create realistic explicit deepfake content without consent.

Deepfake Concerns Grew After Viral AI Image Abuse Cases

The UK government’s increased focus on deepfake intimate images follows widespread concern over reports that millions of manipulated nude images involving women and children circulated online through AI-powered tools and chatbots earlier this year. Regulators and child safety advocates have warned that the rapid growth of generative AI platforms has made it easier to create convincing fake explicit images, raising concerns around online abuse, harassment, and exploitation. Ofcom said technology companies must take greater responsibility for detecting harmful content and preventing its distribution across their platforms.

Ofcom Investigation Into Online Platforms Continues

The latest action also comes as Ofcom continues broader investigations into online platforms under the Online Safety Act.

In April, the regulator expanded an ongoing probe into Telegram, Teen Chat, and Chat Avenue over concerns linked to child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and online grooming.

According to Ofcom, the investigation began after receiving evidence suggesting that harmful content and predatory behaviour may have been taking place across these services.

A major focus of the investigation involves Telegram’s potential exposure to CSAM. Authorities said intelligence shared by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection indicated the alleged presence and distribution of abusive material on the platform.

Following its own assessment, Ofcom launched a formal investigation into whether Telegram may have failed to meet its legal responsibilities under the Online Safety Act.

The regulator stated that platforms offering user-to-user communication services are legally required to assess risks related to illegal content and implement safeguards to prevent its spread.

The European Union is facing renewed criticism over its failure to stop the export of surveillance technology to governments accused of human rights violations, according to a new report released by Human Rights Watch. The report claims that despite the EU’s landmark Dual-Use Regulation introduced in 2021, EU surveillance technology tool are still reaching countries where they are allegedly used to target journalists, activists, academics, and other critical voices. The 54-page report, titled “Looking the Other Way: EU Failure to Prevent Surveillance Exports to Rights Violators,” raises concerns about weak oversight, limited transparency, and gaps in enforcement within the EU’s surveillance technology export framework.

EU Surveillance Technology Exports Continue Despite Safeguards

The report highlights that the majority of EU member states host companies involved in the development and export of surveillance technology. These tools include intrusion software and telecommunication interception systems capable of monitoring private communications and tracking individuals. According to Human Rights Watch, the growing global use of commercial spyware and related surveillance technology has become a major human rights concern. Governments in several countries have allegedly used such technologies to suppress dissent, monitor opposition voices, and restrict civic freedoms. The EU’s Dual-Use Regulation was introduced to regulate exports of technologies that could serve both civilian and military purposes. The regulation aimed to strengthen oversight of surveillance technology exports by requiring member states to assess the human rights records of destination countries before approving sales. The law also introduced transparency and reporting obligations requiring EU member states to share export licensing data with the European Commission for inclusion in annual public reports. However, Human Rights Watch argues that the implementation of these measures has fallen short of their intended purpose.

Human Rights Watch Flags Weak Oversight and Transparency

A major focus of the report is the EU’s 2024 implementation guidelines for the Dual-Use Regulation. Human Rights Watch claims the guidelines weakened transparency requirements and limited public access to meaningful information about surveillance technology exports. The organization said the reporting system currently does not provide enough detail to determine whether exports are contributing to human rights abuses. To investigate further, Human Rights Watch submitted freedom of information requests to all 27 EU member states seeking data on surveillance technology licensing and exports. The findings revealed several examples of exports to countries with documented records of surveillance-related rights violations. Among the cases highlighted were exports of surveillance tools from Bulgaria to Azerbaijan in 2022 and telecommunication interception systems exported from Poland to Rwanda in 2023. The report states that these exports included technologies capable of intercepting communications and conducting intrusive digital surveillance. Human Rights Watch also criticized both EU institutions and member states for frequently citing trade secrets, national security, and international relations as reasons for withholding export information from public scrutiny.

Concerns Over Surveillance Technology and Human Rights

The report argues that surveillance technology can directly threaten several fundamental rights, including privacy, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and in some cases even the right to life and protection from torture. Human Rights Watch said journalists, activists, humanitarian workers, and anti-corruption investigators are among those most vulnerable to misuse of surveillance tools. The organization warned that digital surveillance can expose confidential sources, restrict independent reporting, and create risks to personal safety. According to the report, the EU remains one of the largest hubs for commercial surveillance technology companies globally. A 2024 report by Google’s Threat Analysis Group reportedly found that nearly all major commercial surveillance companies mentioned in its research were based in the EU.

European Commission Faces Pressure Ahead of 2026 Review

The European Commission is expected to begin a formal evaluation of the Dual-Use Regulation in September 2026. Human Rights Watch is urging the commission, the European Parliament, and EU member states to strengthen the rules governing surveillance technology exports during the review process. The organization is calling for stricter human rights due diligence requirements, stronger export controls, and greater transparency in reporting. It also wants surveillance companies to conduct more detailed assessments of whether their products could be used to facilitate rights abuses. In response to questions raised in the report, the European Commission stated that licensing decisions for dual-use exports are handled by individual EU member states. The commission also defended certain reporting limitations, saying that detailed disclosures could reveal commercially sensitive information or identify companies involved in exports. Still, Human Rights Watch argues that the current framework is failing to provide effective oversight. Zach Campbell, senior surveillance researcher at Human Rights Watch, said the EU needs “real transparency” to ensure that the regulation works as intended and prevents European surveillance technology from enabling abuse worldwide.