The US military and intelligence agencies need to be constantly aware of, and responding to, the rapid changes in the global technological landscape. No longer is the ability to protect and defend solely based on traditional military capabilities such as firepower; rather, malicious actors now have unprecedented access to new means of obtaining intelligence, influencing international politics and executing cyber activities from anywhere in the world. These borderless threats cannot be overlooked and new innovations must be continuously embraced.
Rapid Displacement Of Traditional Technological Development
Thanks to technological advances in, AI, social media, satellites, automated analytics and other innovations, civilians, governments and private organizations are now able to collect, analyze and share intelligence in new ways. This has enabled the West to achieve impressive military feats, such as uncovering Russian military activity during the Russia invasion of Ukraine. However, the continuous technological advances are creating paths for outside organizations and countries to access powerful capabilities previously owned by only by governmental bodies. This presents a challenge for defense agencies as they attempt to comprehend the geopolitical and combat risks of the modern era – which is much tougher than in times past.
For example, connection to the Internet has exploded across the world. Billions have come online in just a few years. It’s clear that this transformation has changed our military and political landscape for better and worse. On one hand, it has enabled popular uprisings like Arab Spring and Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement; while on the other it has given rise to authoritarian techno-surveillance projects (led by Beijing). Adversarial nations are also utilizing AI-driven algorithms to gain an information advantage in areas like satellite imagery analysis, military communications and reconnaissance missions.
The Challenge Of Tracking Global Innovations
But the challenges don’t stop with the creation of new tech. It is further exacerbated by how these innovation’s development occurs within a global, multi-use and comparatively decentralized structures. Today, tech innovations have a much greater range of uses than ever before. Not only can they be used for commercial or military pursuits, but they are also funded by foreign investors, developed by international teams and sold to customers all over the globe.
All of this means the US military and intelligence communities face a constant challenge in trying to keep up with incoming technology, while simultaneously deciphering which entity is a threat and how these new technologies can be used to enact harm on the U.S.
Just in the past few years, we have seen a rise in the level and sophistication of threats around the world. Now, malicious actors can use cyberspace to launch their attacks from any corner of the globe. Unmanned vehicles can be used to collect intelligence and carry out operations. Popular foreign platforms like TikTok are feared to be collecting personal data of US citizens. And platforms like Twitch can be used to gather intelligence, spread propaganda and generate support for an adversary’s cause. This puts Western countries in a delicate position, as their success relies on participating in a global free-market while also maintaining digital systems across numerous industries such as healthcare, education, business and military operations.
The Amount And Pace Of Data Complicates The OE
In recent years, U.S. Defense and intelligence have had to confront an information environment far surpassing in scale previous digital vistas. The World Economic Forum observed that, in 2019, over 500 million tweets and 294 billion emails were sent through the Internet, in addition to 350 million photos uploaded to just Facebook each day. Moreover, the proliferation of data was so extensive that it equated, on average, to one petabyte of data being sent per second.
This creates a challenge for military and intelligence analysts. The sheer volume and rapid pace of the data being created has made the act of collecting and analyzing this data extremely complex. When functions and timing of bureaucracies are taken into account, this problem is even further exacerbated. This creates opportunities for adversarial actors and nations to utilize this complexity as cover and conduct their operations with greater efficiency and without detection.
We Must Remain At The Forefront Of The Technological Landscape
Monitoring the continual advances of technology, and being at the forefront of this ever-changing landscape, is a must for the US military. They must stay informed on which groups are at the frontiers of technical competition and be prepared to face any outcomes that arise. In addition, they must consider how future wars will be fought, and how new technologies can play a role in global crises. Lastly, they need to remain vigilant to potential misuse of technology by adversaries – from weapon development to movement of personnel.
The shift from physical power towards digital power has revolutionized global military and intelligence operations over recent years due to increased connectivity worldwide and access to large amounts of data generated every second online. As such, it is crucial for the United States and allied nations to invest in measures that will allow them to monitor technological advances, while also protecting themselves against outside access or misuse by adversaries—such as increased transparency initiatives along with innovative approaches like AI-driven analytics and data visualization tools. By doing so, they will be better prepared for any potential risks facing their countries amidst a volatile geopolitical landscape today.