Established in 1921, the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent, nonpartisan membership organisation, think tank, and publisher (Foreign Affairs magazine) dedicated to being a resource for its members, government officials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and other interested citizens to help them understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries. It runs programmes on Global Governance and Defense and Security.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Within its programmatic work on defence technology, the CFR researches and assesses the implications of the latest technological developments, such as lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) on the foreign and security policy. It follows closely foreign and security policy developments, including the UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) and Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) meetings and discussions.
In 2019, the CFR published an extensive report ‒ Innovation and National Security: Keeping Our Edge ‒ which shows that the pace of innovation, including AI, globally has accelerated, with more disruptive and transformative effects. It points out that many advanced technologies necessary for national security are developed in the private sector, via complex supply chains that span the globe. Therefore, the traditional policy means applied in the past are not effective and must be updated for the USA to remain competitive. According to the report, the USA is ahead of the rest of the world in AI, but others are closing the gap ‒ and the USA’s failure to compete for global talent could result in the loss of its lead.
BLOCKCHAIN
The CFR researches the impacts of blockchain technologies in the context of global governance. It explores the influence of blockchain on inequality, and the national security implications of cryptocurrency.
QUANTUM COMPUTING
The CFR has started exploring quantum computing in the context of its Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program. As the race for quantum supremacy accelerates, it is likely that CFR will cover this area in more depth in the future.
5G
The CFR works on tools to explain new technological developments to policymakers ‒ What is 5G? It also researches and publishes pieces on policy implications of 5G, such as New Cyber Brief: Securing 5G Networks: Challenges and Recommendations, China Is Moving Quickly on 5G, but the United States Is Not Out of the Game, and The Overlooked Military Implications of the 5G Debate.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
- Explores the implications of AI on foreign and security policy.
BLOCKCHAIN
- Explores the implications of blockchain on foreign and security policy.
5G
- Explores the implications of 5G on foreign and security policy.