Intel at the Edge

Futurist Ari Wallach joins Intel at the Edge to discuss why the U.S. government canceled its long-range forecasting program — and what it costs us. From scenario planning and megatrends to AI, loneliness, and narrative warfare, Wallach makes the case for embedding foresight into how America thinks and acts.  Wallach is the founder of Long Path Labs and the former host of the PBS television series...

In this episode of “Intel at the Edge”, former NSA Director General Tim Haugh and former GCHQ Director Sir Jeremy Fleming sit down for a rare, candid conversation about one of the most consequential intelligence relationships in the world. From the wartime roots at Bletchley Park to the age of AI and quantum computing, they explore how the US-UK signals intelligence alliance has evolved over 80+ y...

From rare earth minerals to nitrocellulose, Exiger CEO Brandon Daniels warns that invisible vulnerabilities in America's supply chains pose serious national security risks. He also makes the case for smarter public-private partnerships and AI-driven tools to close the gap before adversaries exploit it.  Recorded at the AI+ Expo, Daniels draws on his experience leading one of the world's most advan...

In this episode of "Intel at the Edge", host Chip Usher is joined by Amos Lahav, founder of Airis Labs, to examine one of the most consequential questions in modern defense: what happens when AI becomes the backbone of intelligence collection and battlefield targeting? Drawing on hard lessons from the October 7th intelligence failure, the rise of systems like Gospel, and the growing threat of adve...

Two senior CIA veterans — Wayne McCool, former Associate Deputy Director for Analysis, and Bruce Frost of "Rhombus Power" — cut through the hype. They discuss how AI is being used inside the intelligence community today, what the real limitations are, and what the future of all-source analysis looks like. 0:00:10 — Introduction & Context  0:01:24 — Panel Introductions:  Wayne McCool & Bruce Frost...

FISA Section 702 is one of the most powerful — and controversial — surveillance laws in the United States. It allows the U.S. intelligence community to collect electronic communications from foreign targets passing through American company infrastructure, without a traditional warrant. In this episode, we sit down with Brett Freeman, a former attorney at the NSA, the National Counterterrorism Cent...

With the Trump-Xi summit approaching, former CIA senior China analyst Chris Johnson joins “Intel at the Edge” to give an unvarnished assessment of Beijing's priorities, Xi Jinping's mindset, and how China is navigating an increasingly unpredictable America.  Chris draws on over two decades in the US intelligence and foreign affairs communities to explain what Xi really wants from this summit, how...

China didn’t just compete with the United States — it harvested America’s innovation. In this episode of “Intel at the Edge” Andrew Badger joins Chip Usher to discuss The Great Heist — the story of how China used industrial espionage, talent recruitment, and a whole-of-society strategy to leapfrog the U.S. in critical technologies.  From AI and hypersonic missiles to semiconductor manufacturing an...

Admiral Michael Studeman joins "Intel at the Edge " to discuss the shifting landscape of Indo-Pacific security. Drawing from his decades of experience in the U.S. Intelligence Community, including as the Director of Intelligence at Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Studeman provides a rare inside look into how America’s intelligence services view China’s growing military power and how Beijing is posit...

With two U.S. carrier strike groups converging on Iran and a presidential deadline looming, the clock is ticking. In this urgent episode of Intel at the Edge, host Chip Usher — Senior Director for Intelligence at the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) — sits down with Norman Roule, former National Intelligence Manager for Iran at the CIA, to assess what may be one of the most consequential...

In this episode of Intel at the Edge, host Chip Usher is joined by Heather Conley, a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a leading expert on Arctic security. Together, they unpack the strategic value of Greenland and the evolving geopolitical stakes in the Arctic. In this episode, we discuss: The Strategic Imperative: Why Greenland serves as a "first line of defense"...

In this episode of Intel at the Edge, host Chip Usher sits down with retired CIA officer Alec Bierbauer, a core founder of the team that launched the agency’s revolutionary Predator drone program. Bierbauer recounts the high-stakes history of the hunt for Osama bin Laden before 9/11, revealing how a small team bypassed traditional bureaucracy to put "U.S. eyes on target" in the rugged terrain of A...

In this emergency episode of Intelligence at the Edge, host Chip Usher is joined by Jonathan Panikoff, Director of the Near East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council and former Deputy National Intelligence Officer for the Near East. They provide a critical update on the widespread protests and severe regime crackdown that have seized Iran since late December 2025. Panikoff analyzes how this...

On this episode of Intel at the Edge , host Chip Usher is joined by U.S. Congressman Pat Fallon (TX-04) to discuss the evolving landscape of national security and his first year on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Congressman Fallon emphasizes the urgent need for the Intelligence Community to embrace AI and emerging technologies to keep pace with global adversaries like China...

In this episode, Chip is joined by Dr. Shay Hershkovitz, professor at Georgetown University and a senior analyst at the RAND Corporation. They discuss the current intelligence landscape, key topics from Dr. Hershkovitz’s book, “The Future of National Intelligence”, intelligence in a democratic society, and advice to young professionals trying to enter national security. Intel at the Edge Podcast i...

Joining Intel at the Edge is Cynthia Kaiser, a veteran at the Federal Bureau of Investigation for twenty years, most recently as Deputy Assistant Director at the FBI’s Cyber Division. Throughout her career, Kaiser specialized in cyber intelligence and cyber policy, also serving as a President's Daily Briefing intelligence briefer in two administrations. She is currently anti-ransomware company Hal...

In this episode of Intel at the Edge, host Chip Usher is joined by Robert Cardillo, the former Director of the NGA. They discuss the increasing role commercial companies play in imagery intelligence, how NGA is incorporating AI technologies, and the future of the US commercial space launch industry.  Watch Intel at the Edge. Intel at the Edge Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies...

In this episode of Intel at the Edge, taped during SCSP's AI Unlocked event, Chip is joined by Rob Joyce and Leah Siskind to explore how the PRC, Russia, and Iran are taking advantage of America's open society and economy to steal data and IP and conduct espionage. Watch Intel at the Edge. Intel at the Edge Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies Project .  

In this episode of Intel at the Edge, Chip sits down with Adam Leslie, former Australian Army and intelligence community veteran, and Aaron Brown, former U.S. Army Ranger and CIA case officer, to discuss their recent report, "The Digital Case Officer, Reimagining Espionage with Artificial Intelligence" . Together, they examine the opportunities and vulnerabilities with AI shaping the future of spy...

In this episode, Chip is joined by Garrett Berntsen, the Defense & Intelligence Data and AI Lead at Accenture Federal Services (AFS). Prior to this role, Garrett was the Deputy Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer for Scaled Capabilities at the Department of Defense’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO), preceding positions at the State Department and the National...

In this episode of Intel at the Edge, Chip is joined by Anthony Vinci, Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). Anthony is a former Chief Technology Officer and Associate Director for Capabilities at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and author of the upcoming book “The Fourth Intelligence Revolution: The Future of Espionage and the Battle to Save Ame...

In the inaugural episode of our new podcast, "Intel at the Edge", host William "Chip" Usher is joined by David Cohen, former Deputy Director of the CIA and former Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center of a New American Security (CNAS).  In this episode, we will discuss his leadership in the CIA, the efficacy of sanctions, and the modern intelligence landscape in an era of emerging technologies.   In...

Where technology meets intelligence. Intel at the Edge is a podcast by the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), hosted by Chip Usher, Senior Director for Intelligence. Chip explores the latest innovations transforming the intelligence community with experts who are shaping the future of national security. Subscribe to our YouTube!     Intel at the Edge Podcast is a product of the Special Co...