December 5, 2025
From 1–2 December 2025, the Hellenic National Defence College (HNDC) hosted a Two-Day Workshop on Applications of Artificial Intelligence, organised in collaboration with the National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos.
Students of the 78th Educational Series had the opportunity to explore cutting-edge AI applications and engage directly with leading researchers from the Institute of Informatics and Telecommunications (IIT).
Presentations and talks were delivered by:
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Vangelis Karkaletsis, Director and Chairman of the Board of NCSR Demokritos and member of the High-Level Advisory Committee on Artificial Intelligence under the Prime Minister.
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Georgios Xilouris, Researcher at IIT’s CORE research group working on network infrastructure management, automation and virtualisation.
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Alexandros Nousias, Research Associate at IIT, expert in AI Law and Ethics.
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Christoforos Rekatsinas, Researcher at IIT and co-founder of the INSANE group, focusing on the interaction of AI with Engineering and Physical Sciences.
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Christos Nikou, Research Associate and machine learning engineer at IIT, specialising in algorithmic development for audio, video and multimodal analytics.
The programme gave participants a simple and clear introduction to how modern AI works. It explained the difference between systems that learn from labelled examples and those that discover patterns on their own, and showed how today’s AI has moved from rigid, rule-based logic to flexible learning from data. Through focused sessions, attendees explored real applications, such as enhancing materials for anti-ballistic protection to designing smart drones and unmanned boats. Throughout the programme, special emphasis was placed on why real-time information, AI-assisted decision-making, and safe, trustworthy operation are essential in defence-related technologies.
Ethical and legal dimensions of AI deployment in military contexts were also addressed—particularly autonomous weapon systems, accountability, data bias, and compliance with international regulation, including the EU AI Act. Principles of ‘ethics by design’ and the need for specialised training to ensure responsible integration of AI into defence planning were emphasised throughout.
IIT researcher Georgios Xilouris also presented the latest advances in dual-use AI technologies for cyber defence, outlining results from projects such as the European Defence Fund initiative AInception and the COBALT Project. The Institute continues to advance research in cyber defence and cybersecurity, with expertise spanning anomaly detection, SOAR, post-quantum encryption, certification, and trust frameworks for tactical and civilian networks. Through the recent EDF CITADEL Range project, IIT will further develop cybersecurity tools and certification frameworks for cyber ranges.
Participants noted the value of exchanging knowledge between the defence community and research institution. Speaking at the event, IIT representatives highlighted how civilian AI innovations can be repurposed to enhance cyber resilience in defence infrastructures and how responsible, transparent adoption must accompany technological progress.
The Institute of Informatics & Telecommunications is proud to contribute to this dialogue, strengthening national capacity in AI, cyber defence, and emerging technology while ensuring ethical and secure deployment in critical environments.