This report looks at how the complex interactions of emerging and disruptive technologies (EDTs) could impact nuclear decision-making, particularly in an escalating regional conventional conflict. In some scenarios, EDTs could exacerbate nuclear escalation, while in other circumstances they could encourage nuclear restraint.
Bringing together a new generation of experts, this report explores the changing landscape of the nuclear policy field and assesses risks, challenges, and mitigation strategies for nuclear weapon decision making under technological complexity.
As cyber-nuclear interactions are likely to increase given trends in the militarisation of the cyber domain and the digitalisation of nuclear weapons systems, Wilfred Wan writes that nuclear-armed states must strengthen the cyber security of their weapons and should elaborate standards across the entirety of their supply chains.
The ELN’s Sylvia Mishra writes that AI-generated fake videos – deep fakes – threaten to exacerbate chaos in conflict, lower nuclear thresholds and complicate nuclear weapons decision-making. The uncontrolled use and spread of this technology requires urgent attention from the nuclear policy community.
On the eve of the COP26 summit, Irina Ghaplanyan writes that we need to rethink our models of leadership and re-examine our understanding of human security to deal with the existential threats we face.
Marina Favaro summarises her recent report “Weapons of Mass Distortion” for King’s College London that uses machine learning to explore which emerging technologies are most likely to escalate a crisis past the nuclear threshold.