May 12, 2022

Will Tomorrow’s Wars Be Fought by Robots?

Artificial intelligence and autonomous systems are poised to change the battlefield, and with it, soldiers themselves. Today, the human cost of war is high. Will that be true of tomorrow’s wars, or will humans be removed from the front lines, left to orchestrate surgical drone strikes and autonomous technology behind the scenes? This week's guests include Paul Scharre, among others, to discuss these issues.

Listen to the full episode from What Happens Next.

  • Commentary

    Defense

    CNAS Insights | Can the United States Sustain Its War Against Iran?

    As Operation Epic Fury nears its one-week mark, the Trump administration is preparing to host U.S. defense companies at the White House for a discussion on defense production....

    By Stacie Pettyjohn & Philip Sheers

    • March 5, 2026
  • Commentary

    Defense

    Deterrence at Scale

    Introduction From the Punic Wars to Franco-Prussian competition in the Renaissance to World War II, history is replete with examples of when industrial capacity—not simply tac...

    By Jennifer McArdle

    • March 5, 2026
  • Commentary

    Defense / Middle East Security

    Iran, Israel, and the U.S. Are Racing the Clock

    This article was originally published in Foreign Policy. At first glance, the Israeli-U.S. attack on Iran is an uneven fight. The United States and Israel have overwhelming ai...

    By Franz-Stefan Gady

    • Foreign Policy
    • March 4, 2026
  • Reports

    Defense

    Eyes in the Sky

    Executive Summary In the Department of Defense’s priority scenarios—a “defense by denial” of China and homeland defense—dedicated airborne sensing and battle management aircra...

    By Philip Sheers

    • March 3, 2026

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