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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Audio Briefs

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

Audio Briefs

Competition in the Shadow of Technology

Technological advancements are reshaping international relations and deterrence strategies; this report examines the strategic calculus behind revealing disruptive military capabilities and their impact on great power competition in an era of unprecedented innovation.

Report by Benjamin Jensen, Yasir Atalan, Can Mutlu, and Jose M. Macias III — December 16, 2024

What Role Can Turkey Play in Ukraine Negotiations?

Should Trump want to pursue a diplomatic track on the war, Turkey can serve as a critical mediator in the Black Sea region, leveraging its NATO membership and ties to Ukraine and Russia.

Commentary by Yasir Atalan — December 12, 2024

Audio Briefs

Assessing Russian Firepower Strikes in Ukraine

An audio version of “Assessing Russian Firepower Strikes in Ukraine,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Benjamin Jensen and Yasir Atalan. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Benjamin Jensen and Yasir Atalan — October 23, 2024

Audio Briefs

Assessing Russian Firepower Strikes in Ukraine

Russia launched 11,466 missiles at Ukraine from September 2022–2024, with 83.5 percent intercepted daily. As Moscow escalates attacks, Ukraine's air defense evolves, but continued Western aid is vital for sustaining defense and enabling long-range counterstrikes.

Commentary by Benjamin Jensen and Yasir Atalan — October 23, 2024

Energy Security and the U.S.-Philippine Alliance

The Philippines’ fragile energy outlook threatens to undermine allied efforts to secure its strategic autonomy vis-à-vis an assertive China.

Brief by Harrison Prétat, Yasir Atalan, Gregory B. Poling, and Benjamin Jensen — October 21, 2024

Audio Briefs

The Future of NATO’s Southern Flank

An audio version of “The Future of NATO’s Southern Flank,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Yasir Atalan. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Yasir Atalan — July 16, 2024

Audio Briefs
Audio Briefs

Calibrating NATO’s Vision of AI-Enabled Decision Support

An audio version of “Calibrating NATO’s Vision of AI-Enabled Decision Support,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Ian Reynolds and Yasir Atalan. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Ian Reynolds and Yasir Atalan — July 13, 2024

Audio Briefs

The Future of NATO’s Southern Flank

In the future, NATO must see its southern and eastern flanks as interconnected geopolitical spaces. Such a view necessitates adopting a holistic strategy that minimizes intra-alliance confrontations and builds deeper political integration with the southern flank.

Commentary by Yasir Atalan — July 10, 2024

Calibrating NATO’s Vision of AI-Enabled Decision Support

In the future, NATO will be the global test case for the integration of artificial intelligence with military operations, setting the standards for interoperability, organizational applications, and responsible use of AI. 

Commentary by Ian Reynolds and Yasir Atalan — July 8, 2024