Insights and impact

About the Council

The Atlantic Council promotes constructive leadership and engagement in international affairs based on the Atlantic Community’s central role in meeting global challenges. The Council provides an essential forum for navigating the dramatic economic and political changes defining the twenty-first century by informing and galvanizing its uniquely influential network of global leaders. Through the papers we write, the ideas we generate, and the communities we build, the Council shapes policy choices and strategies to create a more secure and prosperous world.

Read our annual report
Learn more

Featured content

NATO 20/2020

Twenty bold ideas to reimagine the Alliance after the 2020 US election

More than two decades after NATO’s inspired decision to invite former adversaries to join its ranks, the Alliance is in need of equally captivating ideas. The essays in this volume are intended to push the Alliance to think boldly and creatively in the service of recapturing the public’s imagination.

Read our provocative essays on the future of NATO

Download PDF
Read the essays
sign up for more

Explore the podcast series

NATO 20/2020 Podcast

NATO 20/2020 is a weekly podcast that explores 20 bold ideas to push NATO to be more visionary, more capable, and more self-evidently valuable to the security of more people.

Making a difference

Learn more about the Atlantic Council’s insights & impact through these stories of how our regional and thematic programs are making a difference not only in shaping how we view global issues but also in shaping their outcome.

Artwork by Peter Kuper

In the News

Dec 17, 2020

The Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center partners with LEADERS Magazine to dedicate an entire issue to resilience

For its Fall/Winter issue of 2020, LEADERS Magazine, asked the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center to produce an issue dedicated to resilience. The Resilience Issue assembles a broad range of global thought leaders and experts who are currently tackling the challenges and crises facing the world from different perspectives.

Insights & Impact

Mar 3, 2020

Peering Around the Corner: The Geopolitics of Coronavirus

By Atlantic Council

On February 11, 2020 the DFRLab hosted "Peering Around the Corner: The Geopolitics of Coronavirus," a timely series of panels on the potential geopolitical and economic consequences of Coronavirus, and how misinformation about the crisis may influence its impact.

China Disinformation

Program Impact Story

Feb 6, 2020

US energy priorities abroad: A conversation with US Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette

By Global Energy Center

On Friday, February 7, 2020, the Atlantic Council hosted newly appointed US Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette for a public address and moderated discussion about US government energy priorities abroad.

view all Program impact stories

Latest commentary and analysis

Econographics

Apr 29, 2026

What swap, Gulf?

By Charles Lichfield and Maxamillian Rajaobelina-Phipps

Amidst the chaos of the conflict in the Middle East, there’s been a buzz around offering dollar currency swaps to allies. Those have traditionally been the territory of central banks, but this time around, Treasury is taking the lead.

Economy & Business

UkraineAlert

Apr 28, 2026

Ukraine’s Zelennials have youth on their side in war against Putin’s pensioners

By Peter Dickinson

It is no exaggeration to state that the current war in Ukraine is a clash of generations pitting Russia’s staunchly Soviet leadership against the radically different post-Soviet mindset of the Ukrainian authorities, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

Apr 28, 2026

Iran war could leave Ukrainian civilians exposed to Russian missiles

By Maksym Beznosiuk, William Dixon

With the Iran war depleting global stocks of Patriot air defense interceptor missiles, fears are mounting in Kyiv that Ukrainian civilians could be left exposed to Russian ballistic missiles during an anticipated summer bombing campaign, write Maksym Beznosiuk and William Dixon.

Conflict Critical Infrastructure Policy
View all commentary & analysis

Latest in-depth research and reports

Issue Brief

Apr 29, 2026

Does liberal democracy drive inequalities?

By Yi Zhou

There has been much debate about the relationship between liberal democracy and social and economic inequality, but data shows that free societies remain more equal than their less free counterparts.

Freedom and Prosperity Inclusive Growth

Issue Brief

Apr 29, 2026

How information and communication technologies can empower women in Senegal

By Aminata Niang

Data and interview results show how information and communication technologies are empowering women in Senegal's informal economy.

Africa Freedom and Prosperity

Issue Brief

Apr 29, 2026

The clarity of the law differential: Channels to prosperity across income groups

By Achilles Tsirgis

Legal clarity increases prosperity through different mechanisms depending on a country's income level— high-income nations gain primarily through productivity and innovation, while lower-middle-income countries benefit most through credibility and reduced borrowing costs.

Economy & Business Inclusive Growth
View all In-depth Research & reports

Content

In the News

Mar 13, 2020

Sherman quoted in POLITICO on tracing the spread of coronavirus scams

By Atlantic Council

Coronavirus Cybersecurity

In the News

Mar 13, 2020

Borghard in Lawfare: To defend forward, the US must strengthen the cyber mission force

By Atlantic Council

Erica outlines three steps the Department of Defense should take to fund, analyze, and assess its cybersecurity capacities. More about our expert

Cybersecurity Defense Policy

In the News

Mar 12, 2020

Max Brooks cited in the Washington Post on pandemics in fiction

By Atlantic Council

Crisis Management

In the News

Mar 11, 2020

People-centered design principles for AI implementation

By Atlantic Council

At an event hosted by MIT's Sloan Management Review, Dr. David Bray, Director of the Atlantic Council's GeoTech Center, and Mr. R "Ray" Wang of Constellation Research discussed how organizations can adopt AI in a people-centered manner.

Entrepreneurship Resilience & Society

In the News

Mar 11, 2020

Dr. David Bray: Are we ready for AI?

By Atlantic Council

Dr. David Bray, Director of the Atlantic Council's GeoTech Center, explained on an October 2018 episode of the Device Squad podcast that the overwhelming power of AI combined with the public's lack of concern for it could cause disaster in the absence of policy intervention.

Economy & Business Internet

In the News

Mar 11, 2020

Tran in The Financial Times: Coronavirus and debt: a toxic mix

The spread of the coronavirus is likely to tilt 2020 global economic growth below the OECD’s base-case estimate of 2.4 per cent (already below the 2.5 per cent threshold marking a global recession) towards its worst-case estimate of 1.5 per cent. This disease-induced shock to supply and demand could not have come at a worse […]

Economy & Business

In the News

Mar 11, 2020

Slavin quoted in South China Morning Post on the spread of coronavirus in Iran

By Atlantic Council

Iran

In the News

Mar 11, 2020

Sherman in the Diplomat: Trump and Modi embrace, but remain digitally divided

By Atlantic Council

India Politics & Diplomacy

In the News

Mar 11, 2020

Ullman in UPI: COVID-19 a potential Hurricane Katrina for Trump

By Harlan Ullman

Politics & Diplomacy United States and Canada

In the News

Mar 11, 2020

Sherman in WIRED: Giant Report Lays Anvil on US Cyber Policy

By Atlantic Council

Cybersecurity Defense Policy
Load More