Eviden, the Atos Group’s advanced computing and cybersecurity brand, has been selected by the European Commission to lead the technical platform for AtLaS, a groundbreaking European Defence Fund challenge focused on Human Language Technology Processing (HLTP). The project, funded under the European Defence Fund, brings together nine consortium members to advance AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) solutions for defence applications. Eviden will supply its proprietary BARTENDER software, which enables natural language processing across hundreds of languages, as part of the initiative.
The AtLaS project addresses critical defence challenges, such as processing low-quality and multilingual data in noisy and operationally demanding environments. By integrating AI and NLP, the project aims to enhance communication, intelligence gathering, and adaptability for European defence systems. The consortium will develop resilient systems capable of handling diverse dialects and language variations, including those in degraded contexts like battlefields or communication channels.
Bernard Payer, Global Head of Mission-Critical Systems at Eviden, Atos Group, highlighted the strategic importance of HLTP in defence: “We are proud to have been selected by the European Commission on the HLTP challenge and to leverage our expertise in Systems Integration and Human Language Processing within a consortium of industrial companies. This is all the more important as HLTP is an essential tool for identifying threats and gathering information that can be exploited for defence purposes.”
The AtLaS project represents a significant step forward in European defence collaboration, showcasing how cross-border partnerships can drive innovation in language technology. By focusing on operational constraints such as noise suppression and multilingual processing, the initiative could set new standards for AI-driven defence communication systems.
The European Defence Fund, which supports this project, underscores the EU’s commitment to fostering competitive and interoperable defence technologies. AtLaS not only strengthens European security capabilities but also reinforces the role of AI in modern warfare. As the project progresses, it may pave the way for broader applications in global defence and intelligence, reinforcing the importance of language technology in an increasingly complex security landscape.
