The Cognitive Crucible

During this episode, Jeff Edmonds and Sam Bendett --both of whom are Russian specialists with the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA)--discuss their recently published report: AI and Autonomy in Russia . Funded by the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC), the report covers everything from ethical considerations, to Russian entrepreneurship, to human capital gaps within the Russian citizenry. Li...

During this thought provoking episode, Prof. Yaneer Bar-Yam discusses the nature of complex systems and complexity science. Our discussion covers the cacophony of signals within the information environment and how complexity science provides tools for understanding system dynamics. Prof. Bar-Yam also reports his scientific findings related to the COVID pandemic which he and his colleagues at NECSI...

During this episode, US Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder discusses the evolution of military public affairs, media relations, and strategic communications. Our discussion covers how public affairs integrates with other information related capabilities, partnerships with other agencies, and trust in media. Link to full show notes Guest Bio :  Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder is the Director of Public...

During this episode, Carm Cicalese of Cyber CIC discusses military and corporate risk. Carm is bringing his considerable military leadership and information operations experience into the boardroom and helping corporate customers think about cyber, information, and cognitive risk in new ways. Perspectives on risk are evolving as is the entire information environment; Carm walks through his most cu...

During this episode, Dr. Leigh Armistead , President of Peregrine Technical Solutions and the Chief Editor of the Journal of Information Warfare, discusses practical steps people can take to secure their homes and devices in order to protect themselves from information warfare, hacks, and cyber threats. He also talks about the 20th year anniversary of the Journal of Information Warfare and how the...

During this episode, Dr. Tod Schuck of Lockheed Martin discusses Command and Control (C2) and the importance of information maneuverability. Our wide ranging conversation covers Shannon information theory, cybernetics, the evolution of C2, business, the "million dollar microsecond," as well as military applications. We conclude with Schuck's new formulation of the OODA loop, where he adds an expli...

During this episode, Mr. Phil Chudoba discusses technology acquisition at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Our conversation covers NGA's mission, how NGA facilitates operations in the information environments, as well as NGA's "moonshot" initiative. Link to full show notes Guest Bio :  Mr. Phillip C. Chudoba serves as the Associate Director for Capabilities, National Geospatial-Intelli...

Mr. Toomas Hendrik Ilves , who was the President of Estonia from 2006-2016, discusses a variety of cyber, information operations, and cognitive security topics including: Russian influence, cyber operations vs. kinetic operations, anti-vaxxer disinformation, coding education, and technology adoption in the United States. The episode concludes with Toomas passing along social media security advice...

During this episode, LTC Erica Mitchell discusses the Army Cyber Institute's Jack Voltaic (JV) project , which studies response gaps alongside assembled partners to identify interdependencies among critical infrastructure sectors, provide recommendations, and prevent strategic surprise. JV provides an innovative, bottom‐up approach to critical infrastructure resilience in two unique ways. Whereas...

During this episode, VADM Joe Dyer USN (Ret.) recaps his service on the Section 809 Panel , which was chartered by the FY2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). He also discusses 5G technology, investment strategy, enterprise portfolio management, changing from process to product, and the Congressionally-funded National Spectrum Consortium . Full show notes Bio : Vice Admiral Joseph W. Dye...

LtGen Lori Reynolds leads the Marine Corps' modernization efforts related to operations in the information environment. During this episode, our wide ranging discussion covers competition, professional military education, authorities, technology, and partnerships. Full Show Notes with Links and Resources Bio : Lieutenant General Reynolds was commissioned in May 1986 upon graduating from the U.S. N...

During this episode, one of the principal authors of Marine Corps Doctrinal Pub (MCDP) 1-4 ("Competing"), Col Bill Vivian , USMC (ret.), discusses the creation of this timely document. After recapping the Marine Corps' capstone doctrinal publication, which is called "Warfighting," he then offers a perspective on the evolution of information operations and great power competition from the vantage o...

During this episode, Mr. Shomit Ghose of ONSET Ventures outlines the difference between marginal and disruptive innovation. We also talk about the embodiment of the Red Queen Hypothesis and the OODA loop in today's competitive business climate where companies are expected to innovate quickly in order to stay ahead of their competition. Shomit asserts that the big tech companies are outpacing most...

During this episode, MAJ Jessica Dawson of the Army Cyber Institute at West Point shares recent research about the social media ecosystem and how it is being weaponized. We also discuss the concept of identity and a new framework for understanding narrative weaponization for the purposes of mobilization and radicalization. Our conversation concludes with Jess' policy and regulatory recommendations...

During this episode, Emma Chiu of Wunderman Thompson discusses global trends which affect brands as well as the competition for attention. She describes growing anxiety and a sense of urgency as some trends--especially trends mapped to digital and technology capabilities--seem to have accelerated during the COVID crisis. Brands are also grappling with Gen Z consumers and how they are driving cultu...

During this episode, Mr. August Cole discusses fictional intelligence (or FICINT) and how it can help leaders understand emerging concepts such as the cognitive warfighting domain. August observes that plausible fictionalized future scenarios which are rooted in academic research communicate to leaders and decision makers better than do white papers and powerpoint slides. He also emphasizes the im...

During this episode, Dr. Greg Treverton , who was the Director of the National Intelligence Council during the second Obama Administration, provides an Intelligence Community perspective on the information problem. Our wide ranging conversation covers findings contained in the 2017 Global Trends Report including vivid warnings about disease and climate-related national security matters. Greg has a...

During this episode, former CIA leader, George Beebe , discusses the nature of wicked problems. The wide ranging discussion covers complex adaptive systems, feedback loops, inadvertent nuclear escalation, leaderless organizations, information access, and extremist radicalization. Link to full show notes and resources Bio : George Beebe is Vice President and Director of Studies at the Center for th...

During this episode, Dr. Chase Cunningham discusses the evolving nature of cyber. He asserts that cyber is a key component of national policy, national capability, and warfare. We touch on the concept of a perimeter and why he asserts the "perimeter is dead." Additionally, Chase recounts examples of COVID-related disinformation and deepfake technologies which have ramifications both in national se...

During this episode, Dr. Jan Kallberg and COL Stephen Hamilton of the Army Cyber Institute at West Point discuss their recent article, " How To Protect Troops From An Assault In The Cognitive Domain ." After reviewing some historical examples where the will to fight influenced decisively military outcomes, Jan and Stephen discuss how information is likely being used in a modern version of battlefi...

This is a very special dual release episode of the Cognitive Crucible. Our friends over at the  PSYWAR podcast  are also releasing this via their channel. During this episode, IPA founding member,  Austin Branch , is joined by  COL Jeremy Mushtare , who commands the US Army's 8th Psychological Operations Group. Jeremy discusses PSYOP manpower matters and then Austin contrasts roles and responsibil...

During this episode, James Farwell discusses his views on strategic communications and information warfare. He contrasts Russian and Chinese modern warfare strategies and uses many historic and modern vignettes to support his assertions. NIKE, he asserts, has mastered the art of strategic communications with their marketing campaigns which resonate with heroic narratives as old as humanity. Show n...

Prioritizing and funding cognitive and information-related capability is challenging. During this episode, Mark Mitchell recaps recent efforts within the Department of Defense as well as other United States government interagency efforts which have not reached their full potential. Bio: Mark Mitchell is a former senior executive in the Department of Defense who served most recently as the Acting D...

What influence plays are being run against us? How do they work? And how are they countered or co-opted? During this episode,  Alan Kelly  discusses strategic communications and how his  Taxonomy of Influence Strategies  may be used to see past the messaging and into the motives of competitors. His recently published co-authored piece, " Decoding Crimea ," contains a compelling case study that tap...

During this episode,  John Davis  draws on many decades of special operations, information operations and cyber-related experiences and passes along advice to today's military information professionals who are on the front lines of modern warfare. Since the mid-1980s, information operators have worked hard to gain trust within the Department of Defense, and today's cohort must maintain this trust....