Promise and Perils: National Defense in the Age of AI
A Discussion with Paul Scharre
Expert in Defense and ai
Wednesday, JANUARY 31ST, 5:30 - 7:00 pm ET
In-person, Light refreshments, GUGGENHEIM PARTNERS, NYC
Dinner to follow (ONLY Executive members and above)
In an age characterized by technological advancement, the rise of artificial intelligence has sparked a cascade of questions concerning its impact on both society and national security. What are the risks? How can we effectively manage the rapid acceleration of AI innovations?
Join The Common Good for light refreshments as we dive into the complex interplay between the evolving nature of AI and the paramount task to safeguard our national security. Guiding us through this complex landscape and drawing upon his own military background is the prominent Paul Scharre – an expert in defense and emerging technologies, and the author of the award-winning book Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Dr. Scharre will shed light on the intricate web of risks arising from artificial intelligence today. From the prospect of autonomous weapon systems to the challenges of AI-generated disinformation campaigns, the range of potential security threats is as vast as it is complex.
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About Our Speakers
Paul Scharre is the Executive Vice President and Director of Studies at CNAS. He is the award-winning author of Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. His first book, Army of None: Autonomous Weapons and the Future of War, won the 2019 Colby Award, was named one of Bill Gates’ top five books of 2018, and was named by The Economist one of the top five books to understand modern warfare.
Scharre previously worked in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) where he played a leading role in establishing policies on unmanned and autonomous systems and emerging weapons technologies. He led the Department of Defense (DoD) working group that drafted DoD Directive 3000.09, establishing the department’s policies on autonomy in weapon systems. He also led DoD efforts to establish policies on intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance programs and directed energy technologies. Scharre was involved in the drafting of policy guidance in the 2012 Defense Strategic Guidance, 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review, and secretary-level planning guidance.
Prior to joining OSD, Scharre served as a special operations reconnaissance team leader in the Army’s 3rd Ranger Battalion and completed multiple tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a graduate of the Army’s Airborne, Ranger, and Sniper Schools and Honor Graduate of the 75th Ranger Regiment’s Ranger Indoctrination Program.
Scharre has published articles in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, TIME, Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, Politico, and USA Today, and has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, NPR, and the BBC. He has testified before the House and Senate Armed Services Committees and has presented at the United Nations, NATO, the Pentagon, the CIA, and other national security venues.
Gideon Rose is the Mary and David Boies distinguished fellow in U.S. foreign policy at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Previously, he was Editor of Foreign Affairs from 2010 to 2021, prior to which he was Managing Editor from 2000 to 2010.
He has also served as Associate Director for Near East and South Asian Affairs on the staff of the National Security Council and as Deputy Director of National Security Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Rose has taught American foreign policy at Princeton and Columbia. He is the author of “How Wars End“ (Simon & Schuster, October 2010).
