A generation ago, “cyber” was a term with which very few were concerned. Today those concerns are ever present - from protection of personal information, to money transfers, to integrity of elections, to maybe most importantly, our national security. So-called cyber-warfare has blurred the definition of war and how it might be prosecuted. At the same time the use of artificial intelligence, drones, and robots has expanded rapidly. How well is the US prepared to defend ourselves in today’s technology environment and what are, or should be, the “rules of engagement?” And as the internet and technology rapidly change, what does the US need to do to better protect ourselves in the future?
Our speaker in October is Peter W. Singer, strategist and senior fellow at New America. Dr. Singer, the author of multiple books, has been named by Smithsonian as one of the nation’s 100 leading innovators, by Defense News as one of the most influential people on defense issues, by Foreign Policy to their Top 100 Global Thinkers List, and by Onalytica social media data analysis as one of the ten most influential voices in the world of cyber security. Dr. Singer will discuss cyber warfare, the use of robots, drones, and biotech, and the role of artificial intelligence in our national defense.
Described in the Wall Street Journal as“the premier futurist in the national security environment,” Singer is considered one of the world’s leading experts on changes in 21st century warfare. He has consulted for the US Military, Defense Intelligence Agency, as well as the FBI. Singer has provided commentary on military affairs for many of the major TV and radio outlets, including ABC News Nightline, Al Jazeera, BBC, and CBS-60 Minutes.
His books include “Corporate Warriors: The Rise of the Privatized Military Industry,” “Children at War,” “Wired for War,” and “Cybersecurity and Cyberwar: What Everyone Needs to Know.” This last book explores how the internet works, why it matters, and what can be done with it. His most recent book is Ghost Fleet, a Novel of the Next World War.
Prior to his current work at New America, Dr. Singer was the founding Director of the Center for the 21st Century Security and Intelligence at Brookings Institution; he was the youngest scholar to be named Senior Fellow in Brookings’ over 100 year history. Dr. Singer has worked for the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard. He served as coordinator of the Obama - 08 campaign’s defense policy group and was named to the U.S Military’s Transformation Advisory Group. Dr. Singer received his Ph.D in Government from Harvard and a BA from the Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton.