The twenty-first century has been defined by technological change, from the explosive growth of the internet to the advent of AI. CSIS scholars lead research on how rapid technological change affects all aspects of society, from the most complex national security challenges to issues of everyday life.

Photo: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images

Photo: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images

The Vatican Just Outmaneuvered Washington on AI

The Vatican’s AI intervention exposes Washington’s blind spot: Policymakers are debating hypothetical doomsday scenarios while missing the real crises already reshaping human dignity, work, truth, and power. Washington must move beyond abstract AGI fears and build a civil society dialogue on human dignity, supply chains, truth, and statecraft.

Commentary by Benjamin Jensen — May 26, 2026

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Photo: © Marco Bottigelli/GETTY IMAGES

Photo: © Marco Bottigelli/GETTY IMAGES

The Futures Summit Day 1

April 10, 2026 • 8:30 am – 4:30 pm EDT
Hosted by Global Development
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Jen Berlin

Jen Berlin

Vice President, Economic Security and Technology Department
Matt Pearl

Matt Pearl

Director, Strategic Technologies Program
Kari Bingen

Kari A. Bingen

Director, Aerospace Security Project and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Emily Harding

Emily Harding

Vice President, Defense and Security Department; Director, Intelligence, National Security, and Technology Program
Scott Kennedy

Scott Kennedy

Senior Adviser and Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics
Jerry McGinn

Jerry McGinn

Director, Center for the Industrial Base and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Caitlin Welsh

Caitlin Welsh

Director, Global Food and Water Security Program
Alek Jovovic

Alek Jovovic

Deputy Director, Center for the Industrial Base and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Clayton Swope

Clayton Swope

Deputy Director, Aerospace Security Project and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Lauryn Williams

Lauryn Williams

Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, Strategic Technologies Program
Romina Bandura

Romina Bandura

Senior Fellow, Project on Prosperity and Development

Nikita Shah

Senior Fellow, Intelligence, National Security, and Technology Program
Joseph Rodgers

Joseph Rodgers

Deputy Director and Fellow, Project on Nuclear Issues
Kate Koren

Kate Koren

Deputy Director, Economics Program and Scholl Chair in International Business
Chris Borges

Chris Borges

Fellow and Senior Program Manager, Economic Security and Technology Department
Hugh Nolan Grant-Chapman

Hugh Grant-Chapman

Fellow, Economics Program and Scholl Chair in International Business

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Testing the Future of Joint All-Domain Operations in Africa

Africa’s open terrain could become the proving ground for next-generation warfare, helping the U.S. and partners test drones, electronic warfare, and joint all-domain operations while signaling deterrence to China and Russia.

Commentary by Benjamin Jensen and Soufiane Ammagui — May 26, 2026

The Vatican Just Outmaneuvered Washington on AI

The Vatican’s AI intervention exposes Washington’s blind spot: Policymakers are debating hypothetical doomsday scenarios while missing the real crises already reshaping human dignity, work, truth, and power. Washington must move beyond abstract AGI fears and build a civil society dialogue on human dignity, supply chains, truth, and statecraft.

Commentary by Benjamin Jensen — May 26, 2026

Will the AI Economy Have a Middle Class? The Case for an AI Homestead Policy

Navin Girishankar argues that America needs an AI Homestead policy that offers the middle class a wages-to-wealth ladder for the coming AI economy. It is a commitment to upskilling, labor mobility, business formation, data as an asset, and community access to compute.

Commentary by Navin Girishankar — May 22, 2026

Is the United States Prepared for a War with China?

Despite recent progress, the U.S. military would face serious challenges fighting a protracted war with China because of a lack of long-range munitions, air defense systems, and unmanned systems, along with vulnerable bases and critical infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific.

Brief by Seth G. Jones — May 12, 2026

The AI Escalation Danger Trump and Xi Must Address

As Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping meet in Beijing on May 14–15 to discuss the future of U.S.-China AI cooperation, concerns are growing over escalatory tendencies in models like DeepSeek. Common AI benchmarking may offer a path toward safer development.

Commentary by Benjamin Jensen and Yasir Atalan — May 12, 2026

Building the AI Workforce: The Math Behind the Pipeline

As AI reshapes work and innovation, mathematics is an essential infrastructure for both building advanced AI systems and effectively using them across the economy. Yet declining U.S. math performance threatens the talent pipeline needed to sustain U.S. competitiveness.

Newsletter by Shruti Sharma — May 11, 2026