March 09, 2026
Jack Shanahan: An Inside Look at Track 2 AI Meetings Between the U.S. and China
Jack Shanahan has become synonymous with the adoption of artificial intelligence in the U.S. Department of Defense. As the founding director of the Joint AI Center, which was subsumed by the Chief Digital and AI Office, Shanahan oversaw the Pentagon’s early efforts to institutionalize and deploy AI, including through the infamous Project Maven. Now retired from the U.S. military, he serves as a consultant and fellow for organizations like the Center for a New American Security. Shanahan joined CTRL + ALT + DEFENSE to explore how AI adoption has evolved since his time leading the JAIC, the track 2 conversations between the U.S. and China on the technology, and the challenges the Pentagon faces balancing speed and safety in building its AI arsenal.
Watch the full interview on DefenseScoop.
More from CNAS
-
Commentary
Technology & National Security
Recommendations for Securing and Promoting AI AgentsThe Center for a New American Security (CNAS) welcomes the opportunity to provide a response to the U.S. Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) Request For Information...
By Ben Hayum, Janet Egan & Caleb Withers
-
Commentary
Technology & National Security
AI-Ready Biodata Is America’s Next Strategic InfrastructureThis article was originally published in War on the Rocks. There is little doubt in Washington that AI is a powerful technology that will help determine which country rules th...
By Sam Howell & Michelle Holko
-
Commentary
Technology & National Security
CNAS Insights | Setting the Rules for AI WarfareThe escalating feud between the Pentagon and Anthropic, one of world’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) companies, highlights a crucial question that will shape security i...
By Paul Scharre
-
Video
Middle East Security / Technology & National Security
AI and the Future of WarfareRapid developments in artificial intelligence are changing modern warfare and raising a new batch of ethical questions. The U.S. military reportedly used Anthropic’s AI model ...
By Paul Scharre
