NatSec Tech

Disinformation has always shadowed elections, but artificial intelligence now lets bad actors produce it at a scale and speed never seen before. With the midterms approaching and government election-security agencies diminished, the question grows urgent: Can the same technology fueling the threat also be used to defend against it?  Mark Murray joins NatSec Tech to share his perspective on AI, dis...

Artificial intelligence is advancing faster than any technology before it, yet the United States still has no federal framework to govern it, leaving a patchwork of state and foreign rules that startups can barely navigate. With Europe regulating aggressively and China surging forward, the central tension is sharper than ever: regulate too much and risk falling behind, regulate too little and risk...

For decades, the path from scientific breakthrough to real-world impact has taken ten to twenty years, with researchers relying on tools not far removed from a high school chemistry lab. The Department of Energy's Genesis Mission aims to change that, harnessing artificial intelligence to compress discovery from decades to mere years. In this episode, we ask: Can a "Manhattan Project 2.0" for scien...

Propaganda has existed for centuries, but artificial intelligence and neurological research are transforming it into something far more dangerous: cognitive warfare. Today, adversaries aren't just shaping what we think, they're targeting how we think, exploiting fear, anxiety, and tribalism at massive scale. In this episode, we ask: As AI gives bad actors the power to destabilize populations and c...

In Ukraine and the Middle East, cheap and easy-to-produce drones have fundamentally altered the battlefield. But while technology moves at the speed of a text message, the Pentagon’s procurement process remains stuck on a different clock. In this episode, we ask: Is the Department of Defense actually equipped to counter this evolving threat, or are we just buying the wrong things faster? Pete Newe...

In this episode of NetSec Tech, host Jeanne Meserve sits down with Sal Khan, the visionary founder and CEO of Khan Academy, at the AI+ Education Summit. As AI reshapes national security and the global workforce, Khan shares how his nonprofit is leveraging artificial intelligence to solve the "two-sigma" problem: providing every student with a personalized, one-on-one tutor. NatSec Tech is a produc...

To celebrate our 100th episode, NatSec Tech is evolving. We are moving from audio-only to a full video and audio experience. You can now watch our deep dives into the intersection of technology and national security on the SCSP YouTube channel and Spotify, or continue listening on your favorite podcast platform.  For this milestone, host Jeanne Meserve welcomes Keith Strier, Senior Vice President...

In this episode of NatSec Tech, Former Rhode Island Governor and Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Former Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb joined host Jeanne Meserve, live at the AI+ Education Summit, to discuss how states can stay competitive as AI reshapes the workforce. The conversation focused on outcome-based retraining programs, stronger employer participation, AI literacy and...

In this episode of NatSec Tech, host Jeanne Meserve sits down with Dr. Erik Brynjolfsson , Director of the Stanford Digital Economy Lab and member of the newly formed SCSP-NVIDIA Task Force on AI and the Future of Work.   Dr. Brynjolfsson argues that we are entering a "Second Machine Age" that will be ten times faster and significantly larger than the Industrial Revolution. As artificial intellige...

In this episode of NatSec Tech, host Jeanne Meserve explores India's emerging role as a global AI superpower. Guests Rama Elluru, Senior Advisor at the Special Competitive Studies Project, and Eli Sugarman, Director of Special Projects at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, provide a firsthand account of the massive AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. The discussion highlights a shift in the glob...

In this episode of NatSec Tech , recorded at the Munich Security Conference, host Jeanne Meserve is joined by André Loesekrug-Pietri , Chairman and Scientific Director of the Joint European Disruptive Initiative (JEDI) . JEDI focuses on accelerating frontier technologies across energy, life sciences, and computing. Loesekrug-Pietri offers a candid assessment of why the West must move past "innovat...

Jeanne Meserve is joined by Sree Ramaswamy , Chief Innovation Officer at the NobleReach Foundation. The conversation explores how NobleReach is addressing this through the NobleReach Scholars Program, which recruits engineering and computer science graduates to enter public service for short-term, high-impact stints. The conversations cover the critical need to bridge the "tech talent gap" within...

Jeanne Meserve is joined by Steve Blank , adjunct professor at Stanford and co-founder of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation. They discuss the Department of Defense's proposal to transform its defense acquisition system. The conversation covers the shift from a requirements-based process to a problem-solving model, the introduction of portfolio management, and the challenges...

In this episode of NatSec Tech , Planet Labs CEO Will Marshall joins host Jeanne Meserve to discuss the vital role of satellite constellations in modern conflict, specifically as seen in Ukraine. Marshall explains how daily global imaging, paired with AI at the edge, is providing a critical information advantage by enabling rapid threat detection and "tipping" systems for drone operations. The con...

On this episode of NatSec Tech , host Jeanne Meserve sits down with General Jay Raymond , the first Chief of Space Operations for the U.S. Space Force . As the service marks its sixth year, Raymond discusses the rapid transition of space into a warfighting domain where active satellites have surged from 1,500 to nearly 13,000 since 2019. He details how the Space Force is leveraging AI and "digital...

On this episode of NatSec Tech, host Jeanne Meserve is joined by Dr. Dimitri Kusnezov to examine the critical risks and opportunities at the intersection of AI, nuclear, and biosecurity. Dr. Kusnezov explains that the democratization and convergence of emerging technologies—like AI and gene editing—have lowered the barriers to creating highly sophisticated threats. He details NTI’s Future Safe ini...

In this episode, host Jeanne Meserve welcomes Andrew King, Executive Director of Future Union, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to galvanizing the private sector to stand with democracy. The conversation addresses the critical issue of how U.S. firms and investors are, sometimes unwittingly, fueling Chinese technological innovation, fundamentally undercutting U.S. national security. NatSec Tec...

In this episode, host Jeanne Meserve welcomes Dr. Amber Jaycocks, Senior Vice President of Data Science at Dun & Bradstreet, and Mounir Ibrahim, Chief Communications Officer and Head of Public Affairs for TruePic, to discuss the critical challenge of digital visual deception in the age of AI. They explore how deepfakes and AI-generated content are being used to perpetrate widespread business fraud...

In this episode, host Jeanne Meserve welcomes Dr. Sarah Miller, Assistant Professor of Emergency Management at Pierce College and co-chair for the International Association of Emergency Managers Emerging Technology Caucus, to discuss how Artificial Intelligence is poised to radically transform emergency management. They discuss the critical role AI is playing across the entire crisis timeline—from...

How does the American public really feel about artificial intelligence? On this episode of NatSec Tech, host Jeanne Meserve is joined by Justin Lall of Gallup and Rama Elluru of the Special Competitive Studies Project to discuss the findings of their joint poll on public opinion on AI. They break down what Americans think about AI's impact on the economy, national security, and daily life.  Read o...

In this episode of NatSec Tech, host Jeanne Meserve welcomes Steve Bowsher, the Chief Executive Officer of In-Q-Tel. Bowsher explains In-Q-Tel's role in identifying and funding cutting-edge commercial technologies for a wide range of government customers. He discusses why In-Q-Tel is needed, its rigorous process for vetting companies, its collaboration with other innovation entities, and its strat...

Jeanne Meserve hosts a conversation with David Barboza , co-founder of WireScreen and The Wire China, on the complexities of China's business ecosystem. The discussion highlights Wirescreen , a data analytics platform that maps out business networks to reveal potential risks. They explore how the platform is used to uncover ties to sanctioned entities, and more. This is a public episode. If you wo...

Rob Geckle , Chairman and CEO of Airbus U.S. Space and Defense, joined Jeanne Meserve for a conversation on the future of military and defense technology. They discussed adapting commercial technology for military use, the "Golden Dome" missile defense project, and the strategic necessity of closer U.S.-European defense cooperation. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with...

Horacio Rozanski , CEO of Booz Allen Hamilton, joined Jeanne Meserve live at The Exchange for a conversation on delivering tech solutions rapidly to the warfighter . They discussed the pivotal role of AI and space-based technology in national security, the AI competition with China, and more. Miss any of the recent episodes of NatSec Tech recorded live at the AI+ Expo? Catch up below! This is a pu...

Meredith Potter , Executive Director of the American Security Fund, joined Jeanne Meserve live at SCSP’s AI+ Expo for a conversation on working with allies in the emerging technology space. They discussed India and Taiwan, the strategic importance of building democratic tech alliances, and more. Miss any of the recent episodes of NatSec Tech recorded live at the AI+ Expo? Catch up below! This is a...