NATO highlights AI and data sharing as a goal for allied planning

In short: NATO says AI should help member countries share information more smoothly and plan together, but it still needs clearer rules to do it fast and safely.

What's going on

A recent New York Times report about Amazon providing secure cloud computing to NATO included the line, “Over time, the development should allow better intelligence sharing and military planning among the alliance.” That idea matches NATO’s own long-running AI policy goals.

In NATO documents, the focus is not just on building smarter software. It is on making different countries’ systems work together, which NATO often calls “interoperability” (like making sure everyone’s radios can talk to each other). Another goal is “shared situational awareness,” which means allies see the same basic picture of what is happening, using the best available information.

NATO’s 2025 Data Strategy describes an “Alliance Data Sharing Ecosystem.” In plain terms, it is a shared setup for accessing data securely, including AI and “machine learning” models (computer programs that learn patterns from past data). NATO says countries should stay in control of their own data, even while collaborating. By 2030, NATO expects this to connect through the NATO Digital Backbone, which is basically the alliance’s digital network for sharing data and services.

Research groups outside NATO, including CSET and RAND, make similar points. They argue that allied military AI works best when partners agree on shared data standards (common formats), secure sharing rules, and joint testing so results can be trusted.

What to watch

This is still a live policy issue. In 2026, a NATO intelligence official said the alliance needs updated policies, including classification and “releasability” rules (what can be shared and with whom), to share AI-made intelligence faster.

Source: NYTimes