Britain and Norway will work together on AI for defense, shared computing power and safety testing, but the pact signed in Oslo on Thursday comes with no money and no legal duties.
Key Takeaways
- UK AI Minister Kanishka Narayan and Norway's digitalization minister Torgeir Micaelsen signed a joint statement of intent in Oslo
- The statement lists six areas to explore, from computing power and chips to AI-enabled defense and security testing
- Britain's Taskforce RAID will work more closely with Norway's Defence Centre for Data and AI
- The text creates no rights or obligations, and any work depends on each country's available resources
Kanishka Narayan, Britain's minister for AI, and Torgeir Micaelsen, Norway's minister for digitalization and public governance, met on the sidelines of the Atlantic Futures Forum and signed the deal. The British government published the full statement the same day.
The pact makes AI a new strand of the strategic partnership that Prime Ministers Keir Starmer and Jonas Gahr Støre agreed in December 2024. The ministers pointed to complementary strengths in AI research, secure digital infrastructure and clean energy.
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Six Areas On The Table
| Area | What the two countries will explore |
|---|---|
| Compute | Secure hosting of national compute assets and testing chips and new AI hardware from either country |
| Defense | Taskforce RAID and Norway's Defence Centre for Data and AI jointly developing and testing AI defense tools |
| Security testing | UK AISI and AI Norway sharing methods, including cyber work through NCSC and NSM |
| Global rules | Closer work on international AI governance and standards |
| Research | Linking research funders, labs and businesses |
| New tech | How AI mixes with quantum, biotech and robotics |
Defense is the sharpest part of the deal. Britain's Taskforce RAID and Norway's Defence Centre for Data and AI will look for chances to jointly develop, test and roll out AI-enabled defense capabilities, drawing on both countries' strengths in energy, compute, technology and investment.
On computing power, the ministers want secure commercial hosting for national compute assets and public workloads. They also want to trial and adopt chips and new AI hardware made in either country.
On safety, Britain's AI Security Institute will share testing and evaluation methods with AI Norway. That includes cybersecurity work through the two countries' cyber agencies, the NCSC and NSM.
No Money And No Binding Promises
The statement creates no rights or obligations under international or domestic law. Any cooperation depends on each country's laws, policies and available resources, and the text names no budget, no timeline and no joint project.
The ministers agreed to stay in regular contact, with ministries in London and Oslo coordinating the work. Until a funded project or a named program appears, the pact remains a statement of intent.
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Originally published on Fathom News.
