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Tech, Law & Security Program

Technology, National Security, and the Future of Competition and Conflict

The proliferation and democratization of emerging technologies—cyber, autonomous and remotely piloted unmanned systems, AI, Quantum Computing, and biotech to name a few—is rapidly transforming the landscape of interstate competition and conflict and undermining the traditional legal monopoly States hold over the use of coercive force in the service of internal and external security. While States are fundamentally altering their means and methods of statecraft and warfare, non-state actors and “gray zone” competitors are utilizing emerging technologies to participate in conflicts, gain asymmetric advantage, and threaten national security; developments that challenge the efficacy of the existing legal order and undercut strategic stability. TLS will tackle the myriad legal and policy issues presented by emerging technologies to inform the public, guide policymakers, and offer practical recommendations for adapting law and policy to meet the challenges of technology-driven competition and conflict.