Travelling at the Speed of OSINT

Incorporating OSINT into the Analytical Toolbox

OSINT platforms, at their core, are a technology that allows for the seamless search and analysis of publicly available sources. Pulling from the open, deep and dark web, an OSINT solution can be a key force multiplier for military and defense analysts in their intelligence endeavors.

Incorporating OSINT platforms into the intelligence toolboxes of defense agencies has a plethora of benefits best summed up by four adjectives: timely, accurate, relevant and actionable.

A key intelligence quality, OSINT is often timely due to its publicly published online nature. OSINT platforms utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) vastly increase the speed of collection, analysis and dissemination, while monitoring tools ensure analysts are alerted immediately. Often generated directly by civilians in the area of interest, OSINT holds a significant advantage over other forms of collect.

Despite OSINT source material often being vulnerable to manipulation, AI-driven technology assists in generating accurate intelligence, as platforms can pinpoint data precisely, whether spotting bots or finding corroborating sources. Exposing disinformation (the deliberate spreading of falsehoods) can often reveal the intent of hostile actors, and doing so publicly is a useful means to discredit these actors and gain credibility in the information operations domain.

OSINT is relevant, as AI-powered platforms can aid operations teams in filtering out noise to find exactly what is needed.

Lastly, actionable describes how the speed and scope of OSINT comes together with AI to refine massive amounts of unstructured data into digestible intelligence with insights that can be acted upon. The fact that OSINT often carries lower classification allows for faster and wider distribution to effectively enhance situational awareness across the battlefield.

OSINT information, as with other sources, can potentially be riddled with mis/disinformation, biases and propaganda, so defense agencies must adopt robust processes to discount and verify information. Strong OSINT platforms can automate many of these processes, from the actual analyses to report generation, reducing manual work while allowing analysts more time to screen for mis/disinformation and carry out deeper cross analysis with other sources. When coupled with AI, the benefits of OSINT are further amplified, speeding up the intelligence cycle and resulting in effective assessments closer to real time.

With the exponential growth seen in the digital landscape over the last few years and our continued reliance upon it, we must accept how important the digital battlefield is and will become for defense agencies.

Although OSINT is growing in significance due to the incredible expansion of the digital ecosystem and the subsequent importance the technology plays in national security, geopolitics and human security worldwide, there is still a way to go until all military and defense organizations in the UK are equipped effectively with the correct tools to harness this powerful form of collection. Agencies should not be frightened by OSINT’s novelty, but excited by its possibilities.

Now is the time for UK military, defense and national security agencies to adopt robust, AI-powered Digital Intelligence platforms to save lives, achieve operational goals and protect the nation at home and abroad. Now is the time to travel at the speed of OSINT.