Yasir Atalan

Data Fellow, Futures Lab, Defense and Security Department
Yasir Atalan

Yasir Atalan is a data fellow in the Futures Lab at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He is also a PhD candidate in political science at American University. At CSIS, his research focuses on technology and its implications for international security, with a special emphasis on AI in future warfare. His dissertation is centered on civil-military relations, regional politics, and the diffusion of instabilities. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Business Insider, War on the Rocks, and Defense One as well as peer-reviewed journals. As a graduate fellow at the Center for Data Science at American University, Mr. Atalan has been an active contributor to computational social science projects. Previously, he served as a replication analyst for the Political Analysis journal at Cambridge University Press. Mr. Atalan earned his MA in Middle Eastern studies from King’s College London and a BS in political science and international relations from Bogazici University.

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Asking AI How to Respond to a Foreign Policy Decision

AI models have built-in biases that factor into their decisionmaking. These biases should be mitigated before integrating them into foreign policy processes.

Analysis by Yasir Atalan, Benjamin Jensen, and Ian Reynolds — April 17, 2025

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Hawkish AI? Uncovering DeepSeek’s Foreign Policy Biases

An audio version of “Hawkish AI? Uncovering DeepSeek’s Foreign Policy Biases,” a new commentary by CSIS's Ian Reynolds, Benjamin Jensen, and Yasir Atalan. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Ian Reynolds, Benjamin Jensen, and Yasir Atalan — April 16, 2025

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Hawkish AI? Uncovering DeepSeek’s Foreign Policy Biases

DeepSeek’s foreign policy recommendations reveal a troubling trend toward escalation in crisis scenarios—raising concerns about AI-induced bias and the risks of integrating off-the-shelf models into national security workflows.

Commentary by Ian Reynolds, Benjamin Jensen, and Yasir Atalan — April 16, 2025

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AI Biases in Critical Foreign Policy Decisions

An audio version of “AI Biases in Critical Foreign Policy Decisions,” a new commentary by CSIS's Yasir Atalan, Ian Reynolds, and Benjamin Jensen. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Yasir Atalan, Ian Reynolds, and Benjamin Jensen — February 26, 2025

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AI Biases in Critical Foreign Policy Decisions

Can AI be trusted for high-stakes foreign policy decisions? Our new study uncovers how biases shape AI’s approach to conflict escalation and other critical foreign policy decision domains.

Commentary by Yasir Atalan, Ian Reynolds, and Benjamin Jensen — February 26, 2025

Breaking Down Russian Missile Salvos: What Drives Neutralization?

Russia uses a mix of expensive, high-precision, and legacy missiles for daily pressure on Ukraine. As ballistic missiles remain the deadliest, Ukraine should bolster its high-speed defenses to protect infrastructure and shape negotiations.

Commentary by Yasir Atalan and Benjamin Jensen — February 24, 2025

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Breaking Down Russian Missile Salvos: What Drives Neutralization?

An audio version of “Breaking Down Russian Missile Salvos: What Drives Neutralization?,” a new commentary by CSIS's Yasir Atalan and Benjamin Jensen. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Yasir Atalan and Benjamin Jensen — February 24, 2025

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DeepSeek’s Latest Breakthrough Is Redefining AI Race

An audio version of “DeepSeek’s Latest Breakthrough Is Redefining AI Race,” a new commentary by CSIS's Yasir Atalan. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Yasir Atalan — February 4, 2025

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DeepSeek’s Latest Breakthrough Is Redefining AI Race

DeepSeek’s R1 breakthrough isn’t a one-off Sputnik moment. Instead, it signals a new era in the AI race—one defined by continuous innovation, a narrowing tech gap, and the transformative power of open-source collaboration in reshaping global competitiveness.

Commentary by Yasir Atalan — February 3, 2025

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What Role Can Turkey Play in Ukraine Negotiations?

An audio version of “What Role Can Turkey Play in Ukraine Negotiations?,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Yasir Atalan. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Yasir Atalan — December 19, 2024

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