Archive

Perry-Shultz Center for Technology & Strategic Stability

Shaping technology’s trajectory into a force for stability and forging common cause among states and non-state actors against its most consequential risks

The technologies reshaping the global balance of power are moving faster than our means to manage them. Inspired by the work of former Secretaries William Perry and George Shultz, the Center strives to shape technology’s trajectory into a force for stability and forge a common cause among states and nonstate actors against its most consequential risks.

AI, NC3, and Strategic Stability: Scenario Exercise

How might the integration of AI into global NC3 systems transform strategic stability and deterrence dynamics? In Washington, D.C. this spring, IST convened more than 60 senior officials, technical experts, and civil society actors for an in-depth analysis of the risks and opportunities of AI in NC3 using this scenario exercise.

adaptive targeting, AI, decision support, nuclear, nuclear command, scenario, strategic warning, TTX

October 16, 2025

October 23, 2025 2:00 pm

Book Talk | The New Nuclear Age: At the Precipice of Armageddon

In a world with increasing nuclear dyads, can emerging technologies make us safer – or are we opening Pandora's Box? Join IST in Palo Alto, CA or virtually for a book talk with Ankit Panda.

AI, China, international security, NC3, nuclear, nuclear dyad, nuclear security, Russia

October 6, 2025

Artificial Intelligence in Nuclear Command, Control & Communications: A Technical Primer

AI has been integral to nuclear weapons systems and operations for decades, but rapidly advancing “novel” models pose unforeseen technical opportunities. For the Institute for Security and Technology’s scenario-driven workshop on the integration of AI into NC3 systems, IST’s Sylvia Mishra and Philip Reiner co-authored a short primer to establish what constitutes 'novel' AI in the context of nuclear weapons decision-making.

AI, artificial intelligence, NC3, nuclear, system of systems

September 10, 2025

Here’s the Big Deal Trump and Putin Could Actually Reach in Alaska

The meeting of Presidents Trump and Putin in Alaska this week presents a rare and urgent opening for both leaders to make tangible progress on nuclear arms control, IST Senior Policy Advisor Sahil V. Shah and co-author IMEMO RAS research fellow Dmitry Stefanovich argue in Politico.

arms race, CATALINK, crisis communication, New START Treaty, Russia

August 15, 2025

IST Statement on President Trump’s AI Action Plan and Related Executive Orders

In February, IST submitted comments in response to the Office of Science and Technology Policy’s request for information on the development of an AI Action Plan. We were heartened to see many of the key issues we raised reflected in the Trump Administration’s recent AI executive orders.

AI, artificial intelligence, chips, compute, distributed energy, energy security, export control, national security, risk reduction

July 25, 2025

Q&A: Separating the hype from reality

Nuclear command, control, and communications systems are often called the “fourth leg” of the U.S. nuclear enterprise. In this month’s edition of the TechnologIST, IST Deputy Director of Nuclear Policy Sylvia Mishra joined us for a Q&A about IST’s recent primer on NC3 systems, drafted for a workshop focused on the integration of AI and NC3.

AI, NC3, nuclear

July 8, 2025

Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3): A Primer on Strategic Warning, Decision Support, and Adaptive Targeting Subsystems

Originally drafted to guide substantive discussions for a scenario-driven workshop hosted by IST in Washington, DC on the risks and opportunities of AI integration in NC3, this primer provides a technical and in-depth overview and analysis of strategic warning, decision support, and adaptive targeting subsystems that comprise the NC3 “system of systems.”

adaptive targeting, decision support, NC3, NC3 architecture, nuclear, strategic warning, system of systems

July 7, 2025

Securing the Signal: Mitigation Strategies to Strengthen Crisis Communication Channels

As global norms are challenged and emerging technologies accelerate, crisis communication systems between nuclear-armed states face urgent new threats. This report identifies four critical scenarios and outlines a matched set of mitigation strategies designed to reinforce the reliability of crisis communications in high-stakes environments.

CATALINK, cold war, crisis communications, electromagnetic pulse, EMP, escalation, miscalculation, nuclear

May 28, 2025

Strengthening Nuclear Crisis Communications: Steps to Implement Mesh Networks to Enhance Resilience & Security

To advance work on secure crisis communications, IST convened a diverse group of experts for a technical workshop to explore potential avenues for improving the resilience of nuclear crisis communications networks, including IST’s CATALINK Initiative. In this report, IST’s Christian Steins shares critical takeaways from their discussion.

crisis communications, mesh network, nuclear weapon state, resilience, ROCCS

May 22, 2025

Live at the United Nations: IST Joins Forces with Germany and Switzerland to Push for Progress on Nuclear Risk Reduction

At NPTPrepCom last week, IST and the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation hosted a dialogue on preventing and managing nuclear crises sponsored by key CATALINK supporters, the German Federal Foreign Office and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

CATALINK, crisis communications, disarmament, NC3, Non-Proliferation, nuclear, nuclear command and control, United Nations

May 8, 2025

April 30, 2025 12:15 pm

Preventing and Managing Nuclear Crises in the 21st Century

In a side event at the 2025 Non-Proliferation Treaty PrepCom at the United Nations, IST and the VCDNP co-hosted a panel discussion to investigate how states can more readily reduce the risks of and ultimately prevent nuclear crises and conflicts in the 21st century.

Germany, Non-Proliferation, nuclear, nuclear crisis communications, Switzerland, United Nations

April 30, 2025

Bridging the Policy, Military, and Technology Fields: IST Hosts Critical Workshop on AI in Nuclear Command, Control, and Communication Systems

On April 10, 2025, the Institute for Security and Technology’s (IST) Innovation and Catastrophic Risk team hosted a scenario-driven workshop titled "The Risks and Opportunities of AI in NC3: Finding Common Ground," with cross-sector experts in Washington, DC.

adaptive targeting, AI, crisis communication, decision support, deterrence, NC3, nuclear, nuclear command, nuclear control, strategic stability, strategic warning

April 29, 2025

April 29, 2025 5:00 pm

Command, Complexity, and the Future: A Conversation on AI and the Nuclear Enterprise

In preparation for the April 29, 2025 workshop "The Risks and Opportunities of AI in NC3: Finding Common Ground," Philip Reiner sat down with General C. Robert Kehler, USAF (Ret.), former Commander, U.S. Strategic Command for a conversation on AI and the nuclear enterprise.

AI, artificial intelligence, NC3, nuclear, nuclear enterprise, Strategic Command

April 29, 2025

Setting the Foundation of a New National Strategy on AI: IST Submits Comments on an AI Action Plan

Institute for Security and Technology (IST) last week submitted comments to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in response to its request for information on the development of an AI Action Plan. Informed by eight years of working groups, private roundtables, and other engagements with policy policymakers, technologists, and researchers on AI risk reduction, our response puts forth 6 strategic objectives that would serve as the foundation of a new national strategy on AI.

AGI, AI, artificial intelligence, critical infrastructure, genAI, national security, NIST, public safety

March 18, 2025

Q&A: Reflecting on IST’s Mission in Action

In the February 2025 newsletter, on the heels of recent gatherings of the world's most prominent technology and policy leaders, members of IST leadership reflected on what they heard, what seems to be missing from global dialogue, and what IST can do about it.

AI, critical infrastructure, cyber, cybersecurity, Munich Cyber Security Conference, Paris Peace Forum, Public-private partnerships, Ransomware, WEF

February 28, 2025

Announcing Continued Support from the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and the German Federal Foreign Office for the CATALINK Initiative

The Institute for Security and Technology (IST) is pleased to announce the generous political and financial support from the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and the German Federal Foreign Office Germany to continue the CATALINK Initiative through 2027.

CATALINK, crisis communications, disarmament, mesh networks, nuclear weapons, risk reduction

January 21, 2025