Technology & Innovation

The rapid pace of technological change can both provide governments and individuals with new tools to achieve policy goals, while also presenting societies with new economic, political, and social challenges. The harnessing of new technologies can unlock new economic growth, enhance inclusivity and equity, and increase citizens’ quality of life, but their potentially damaging side effects must also be managed. In an era of growing geopolitical and economic competition, governments must also focus on how to ensure their societies retain a technological edge, and produce new innovative products and solutions to drive growth.

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Free speech and online content: What can the US learn from Europe?

Issue Brief Mar 21, 2025

To win the AI race, the US needs an all-of-the-above energy strategy

By Joseph Webster

To ensure US AI leadership, the United States must harness all forms of energy, allow a level playing field, and remove red tape constraining the buildout of critical enablers, especially transmission lines and grid enhancing technologies.
Artificial Intelligence China
Free speech and online content: What can the US learn from Europe?

MENASource Feb 26, 2025

How the Houthis’ strikes on US MQ-9 Reaper drones serve a wider regional agenda

By Leonardo Jacopo Maria Mazzucco

The United States needs to adjust its drone deployment strategy to ensure that MQ-9 Reapers are less vulnerable to the militant group’s attacks. 
Defense Policy Defense Technologies
Free speech and online content: What can the US learn from Europe?

New Atlanticist Feb 18, 2025

What’s missing from the AI debate? Patience.

By Trey Herr

The AI sector is evolving quickly, fueled by a self-reinforcing cycle of investment, commentary, and ambition. In this race for compute, patience is important to sorting out sustainable innovation from speculative excess.
Artificial Intelligence Defense Technologies

The Atlantic Council Technology Programs comprises five existing efforts—the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), the GeoTech Center, the Cyber Statecraft Initiative, the Democracy + Tech Initiative, and the Capacity Building Initiative. These operations work together to address the geopolitical implications of technology and provide policymakers and global stakeholders necessary research, insights, and convenings to address challenges around global technology and ensure its responsible advancement.

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Content

New Atlanticist

Feb 1, 2021

Free speech and online content: What can the US learn from Europe?

By Frances Burwell

Congress will certainly take on reforming Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, but it should not just focus on the companies and their responsibilities. Legislators should take a good, hard look in the mirror. They must provide the guidelines that are central to reducing violent extremist content online: rules on acceptable versus forbidden online speech.

Digital Policy Europe & Eurasia

New Atlanticist

Feb 1, 2021

Speech moderation and militant democracy: Should the United States regulate like Europe does?

By Kenneth Propp

Many Americans’ sunny faith in a robust media “marketplace of idea”’ is being tested. The European historical experience that informs “militant democracy” and speech-invasive privacy laws remains largely alien here. But adjustments at the margins, particularly in the areas of process, are possible and desirable.

Digital Policy Europe & Eurasia

Issue Brief

Feb 1, 2021

Pathologies of obfuscation: Nobody understands cyber operations or wargaming

By Nina Kollars and Benjamin Schechter

National security and defense professionals have long utilized wargames to better understand hypothetical conflict scenarios. With conflict in the cyber domain becoming a more prominent piece in wargames in the national security community, this issue brief seeks to identify the common pathologies, or potential pitfalls, of cyber wargaming.

Cybersecurity National Security

GeoTech Cues

Jan 31, 2021

Why trust is vital to meet COVID-19 vaccination challenges

By Borja Prado

The rush to vaccination against the COVID-19 virus has highlighted numerous supply and logistic complexities but also the risks of fraud. More than ever, trust is crucial. The situation is evolving and new information on the virus and impact of the vaccine is constantly emerging. The public needs to be sure that information available is trustworthy, authorities and vaccine manufacturers are transparent, and that the vaccines with which they are being injected are genuine.

Coronavirus Resilience

Event Recap

Jan 27, 2021

Event recap | An immune system for the planet

By Ben Schatz

In this special edition of the GeoTech Hour, held weekly on Wednesdays from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. EST, the GeoTech Center airs a recording of the most recent installment of its Immune System for the Planet private roundtables.

Coronavirus Resilience & Society

In the News

Jan 27, 2021

Friedland joins the German Marshall Fund to debate the topic of 5G and whether Germany is selling out Europe to China

By Julia Friedlander

Read the full article here.

China Defense Technologies

In the News

Jan 26, 2021

Varshney joins Brown University to discuss Evolving news media landscapes in India and Pakistan

By Atlantic Council

Digital Policy India

In the News

Jan 26, 2021

Nooruddin joins Brown University to discuss Evolving news media landscapes in India and Pakistan

By Atlantic Council

Civil Society Digital Policy
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#AlertaVenezuela

Jan 26, 2021

#AlertaVenezuela: January 26, 2021

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

An anti-Maduro video garnered thousands of views after claiming that Maduro had been ousted from power, betrayed by Maduro’s U.S. diplomat Alex Saab.

Disinformation Venezuela

In the News

Jan 24, 2021

Gen. Cartwright quoted in New York Times on great-power competition in space

By Atlantic Council

On January 24, Atlantic Council Board Director and former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen James E. Cartwright, USMC (Ret.) was quoted in a New York Times article titled "How space became the next 'great power' contest between the US and China." The article concludes that President Biden must view the Chinese anti-satellite threat in space as one of the most pressing national security issues of his administration.

China Russia
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Experts

Fellow

Lukas Andriukaitis

Nonresident Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Disinformation Eastern Europe
Ana Arriagada

Staff

Ana Arriagada

Assistant Director, Latin America

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Brazil Civil Society

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Anna Ascani

Vice President of the Chamber, Italy Chamber of Deputies

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Education

Fellow

Victor Atkins

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Crisis Management Cybersecurity

Fellow

Marino Auffant

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

Staff

Khalid Azim

Director, MENA Futures Lab

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Economy & Business Middle East
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Events

Public Event Mon, March 23, 2026 • 10:00 am ET

Kurt Campbell on what to expect from Trump’s Beijing visit
China Economy & Business Politics & Diplomacy Technology & Innovation
Public Event Tue, March 24, 2026 • 2:00 pm ET

Shaping the new space age
Space Technology & Innovation
Flagship Event Thu, April 9, 2026 • 9:00 am ET

Global Prosperity Forum

The Global Prosperity Forum brings together policymakers, industry leaders, and scholars to explore actionable solutions for global development, freedom, democracy, and shared prosperity.
Entrepreneurship Freedom and Prosperity Inclusive Growth Political Reform
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