AMIAD: Dedicated to providing sovereign and operational artificial intelligence for defense, the Ministerial Agency for Artificial Intelligence in Defense (AMIAD) embodies the ambition to make France a strategic player in this field in Europe. Created to organize the scaling up of AI – that is, to transform experiments into robust solutions deployed within the armed forces – it bridges the gap between research, technological innovation, and operational needs.
What is AMIAD?
Established on May 1 , 2024, the Ministerial Agency for Artificial Intelligence in Defense (AMIAD) represents the first concrete measure of the Ministry of the Armed Forces’ AI strategy, announced in March 2024. Reporting directly to the Minister of the Armed Forces, its primary mission is to equip the armed forces with artificial intelligence solutions, transforming experiments into practical capabilities. It thus plays a central role in scaling up AI technologies for defense. Its objective? To strengthen the operational superiority and daily efficiency of the Ministry, in response to the needs expressed by the armed forces.
In a geopolitical context marked by major technological disruptions and increased strategic competition, mastering AI is a matter of national sovereignty. AMIAD embodies this ambition by providing the Ministry with a unique actor, both strategic and operational, capable of delivering a structuring vision for military AI.
What are the role and missions of AMIAD?
AMIAD oversees and coordinates all defense-related AI projects within the Ministry of the Armed Forces. It designs and deploys AI solutions for the armed forces, which it then puts into large-scale production. A true digital arsenal, it goes beyond simply prescribing technological directions: it produces, integrates, and generalizes AI capabilities across all military domains. It thus acts as a central driver of acceleration for the armed forces, directorates, and services.
It also supports the Ministry’s data-centric transformation, while serving as a leading expert in its field. AMIAD ensures the integration of robust and secure technologies, guaranteeing a framework of reliability, performance, and security for military AI systems used in operational or critical contexts.
What are AMIAD’s strategic priorities?
AMIAD’s activities are structured around several major axes. Three main areas of application shape the use of AI in defense:
- AI embedded in weapon systems, sensors, autonomous robotics or collaborative combat;
- AI for operations , serving image analysis, intelligence, cybersecurity and rapid decision support;
- Organic AI , integrated into support functions such as human resources, health, finance or infrastructure.
The objective is to unify these initiatives, accelerate their scaling up and integrate them into a logic of collective performance.
In parallel, AMIAD is leading the development of AI software and hardware infrastructure for defense, essential for secure and sovereign deployment. A classified supercomputer, located in Suresnes, was inaugurated in September 2025 to meet the requirements for processing the most sensitive data. These investments are crucial to guaranteeing the Ministry’s autonomy in processing highly critical information.
These initiatives are part of a strategy to guarantee the Ministry’s technological sovereignty and accelerate the adoption of AI across all areas of operation. They reflect a strong commitment: to position France as a strategic player in defense AI in Europe.
How is AMIAD organized?
The AMIAD organization is based on a hybrid model, combining operational agility and critical mass. It relies on two main locations: a technical and management hub in Bruz , within the DGA Information Management site, and a research hub in Palaiseau , on the École Polytechnique campus.
These two sites allow the agency to combine strategic management, technical development and high-level research.
AMIAD operates in project mode, bringing together multidisciplinary teams composed of civilian and military expertise. This organization promotes responsiveness, dialogue between experts, and the rapid achievement of operational results.
Focus on Bertrand Rondepierre, director of AMIAD
A journey between defense, research and innovation
Bertrand Rondepierre has led AMIAD since its creation. An engineer by training, he began his career at the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) before contributing, alongside Cédric Villani, to the development of the national strategy for artificial intelligence presented in 2018. He embodies a rare expertise, at the crossroads of technological and strategic challenges.
