Scowcroft Center Commentary, Analysis, & Reports

Will the Third Industrial Revolution Create More Jobs than It Kills?

By Banning Garrett

Is the Third Industrial Revolution likely to destroy more jobs than it creates, or will the new technology powering the this revolution lead to creation of more new jobs than those are eliminated, as technology has done throughout history? Will the trend toward increasing concentration of wealth at the top continue as well? There are […]

Envisioning 2030: US strategy for the coming technology revolution

By Atlantic Council

Building upon this statement, this year’s Envisioning 2030: US Strategy for the Coming Technology Revolution, edited by Strategic Foresight Initiative Director Mathew J. Burrows, explores the consequences of major disruptions that will be caused by emerging technologies and recommends that the United States must prepare now if it wants to remain competitive on the global stage.

Can We Harness Disruption to Improve Our World’s Future?

By Mariette DiChristina

At Scientific American, we take it as a given that science and technology form a key underpinning for human advancement. But all anybody needs to do to be convinced about their importance is to scan today’s headlines about pressing global concerns of our finite world. Consider, for instance, the coming food-water-energy crisis, the ongoing transformation of […]

Robots: Out of the Factory and Into Our Lives

By Banning Garrett

While 3D printing is changing the when, where and how of things are made in the Third Industrial Revolution (TIR), the new robotics is enhancing productivity and changing the role of humans in the production process and the overall economy. The development of a new generation of robots that are easier to program and are […]

Digitizing Life: The New Frontier

By Banning Garrett

Synthetic biology and bioengineering are an emerging factor in the Third Industrial Revolution (TIR), building on the convergence of a wide range of technologies leading to development of new, previously unimaginable technological capabilities. While there are a huge number of potentially beneficial products of the synbio revolution, there are also growing concerns about the potential […]

Combatant Command Task Force Holds Second Meeting

On December 6, the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security hosted the second meeting of the Combatant Commands (COCOMs) Task Force.

From Start-ups to Space Exploration

By Banning Garrett

The Revolutionary Impact of 3D Printing The Economist has hailed 3D printing (3DP) as the foundation of the Third Industrial Revolution. 3D printing is a process of layering to make things rather than carving them out of pieces of material. Although the basic 3D printing technology was invented three decades ago, it has reached a […]

An Emerging Third Industrial Revolution

By Banning Garrett

 Politicians and policymakers understandably focus almost exclusively on near-term problems and crises. They often operate in reactive mode as hotspots and domestic political pressures set priorities. But their “global operating environment” (GOE) is rapidly changing, often in ways that affect national security challenges and choices in the present as well as in the future. To […]

Trans-Pacific Partnership and Asia

Power is shifting to Asia. The development of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), an ambitious trade agreement among twelve countries in the Asia-Pacific region, will play a major in that shift by aiding the economic and security integration in Asia with Western powers. On December 3, 2013, the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security […]

China, North Korea, and Extended Deterrence in Northeast Asia

On December 3, the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security hosted the third not-for-attribution workshop on extended deterrence in northeast Asia. This session focused specifically on in China and North Korea. The chairmen of the workshop series, Richard Armitage, president of Armitage International, and Kurt Campbell, chairman and chief executive officer of the […]

Discussing NATO’s Strategic Priorities

On December 2, the Atlantic Council’s Transatlantic Security Initiative hosted an off-the-record strategy session with General Sverker Göranson, supreme commander of the Swedish Armed Forces, to discuss strategic priorities for NATO’s partnership policy in light of ongoing NATO and Swedish armed forces reforms.

Pavel and Kroenig Discuss Iran Deal on This Week in Defense

Council Vice President and Director of the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security Barry Pavel and Senior Fellow Matt Kroenig appeared on This Week in Defense with Vago Muradian to discuss the deal that’s been struck on Iran’s nuclear program. Watch the full interview. For more expert analysis and reactions to the deal, check out […]

Britain Outside Europe? The US View

By Jeffrey Lightfoot and Tim Oliver

UK Withdrawal from the EU Would be a Double Loss Britain is one of the United States’ most important relationships, but Britain’s position within the EU is central to its importance. A UK exit from Europe would weaken the geopolitical position of Britain and change the EU and Europe in ways which could be detrimental […]

BBC Interviews Barry Pavel on Security Agreement with Afghanistan

National Security Advisor Susan Rice has met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai to discuss long-term security agreements between the US and Afghanistan. Leading up to the meeting, Council Vice President and Scowcroft Center Director Barry Pavel spoke with the BBC from their Istanbul studio on the situation.

Now for the hard part

By Matthew Kroenig

Early Sunday morning in Geneva, the P5+1 and Iran announced that they had reached an interim deal on Iran’s nuclear program. Many are heralding the agreement as an historic breakthrough, and the deal does indeed buy us time, but it is much too early to declare victory. Indeed, the Iranian nuclear crisis might still very […]

Lessons Learned from STEADFAST JAZZ

On November 21, the Atlantic Council hosted a non-for-attribution roundtable with top Allied military and government officials to discuss the 2013 STEADFAST JAZZ exercise and the lessons learned for the future readiness and capabilities of NATO.

Second Cyber Risk Wednesday

Exploring Cyber Insurance With little regulatory framework, cyber insurance is still a developing field. The increasing awareness and occurrence of cyber crimes, such as data breach, cyber espionage, or network intrusion, has placed this important topic squarely in front of risk managers and CEOs. The second Cyber Risk Wednesday, the monthly series organized by Cyber […]

Ensuring America’s Defense-Industrial Base for National Security

The president and CEO of BAE Systems, Inc., Linda P. Hudson, spoke at the Atlantic Council on November 19th as part of the Atlantic Council Captains of Industry Series. Her address, entitled “Ensuring America’s Defense Industrial Base Can Support Our Future National Security Needs,” made the case about the need to preserve and cultivate world-class […]

Ensuring America’s Defense Industrial Base Can Support Our Future National Security Needs

By Linda P. Hudson

On November 19, 2013 Linda P. Hudson, president and CEO of BAE Systems, spoke at the Atlantic Council as part of the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security’s Captain’s of Industry Series.