The overarching question imparting urgency to this exploration is: Can U.S.-Russian contention in cyberspace cause the two nuclear superpowers to stumble into war? In considering this question we were constantly reminded of recent comments by a prominent U.S. arms control expert: At least as dangerous as the risk of an actual cyberattack, he observed, is cyber operations’ “blurring of the line between peace and war.” Or, as Nye wrote, “in the cyber realm, the difference between a weapon and a non-weapon may come down to a single line of code, or simply the intent of a computer program’s user.”
We are a research-to-action project dedicated to building a future where technology serves humanity and public purpose drives innovation.
Our Beliefs
- Technology's advance is inevitable, and it often brings with it much progress for some. Yet progress for all is not guaranteed. We have an obligation to foresee the dilemmas presented by emerging technology and to generate solutions to them.
- There is no silver bullet; effective solutions to technology-induced dilemmas require a mix of government regulation and tech-sector self-governance.
- Ensuring a future where public purpose drives innovation requires the next generation of tech and policy leaders to act; we must support and inspire them to implement sustainable solutions and carry the torch.
To this end, our project works to ensure that emerging technologies are developed and managed in ways that serve the overall public good.
We do this by:
- Designing resources and practical solutions to the dilemmas of technological change in the digital domain, biotech, jobs and training sectors.
- Engaging and convening leaders from research universities, tech industry CEOs and senior scientists, entrepreneurs, current and former policymakers, and experts in law, regulation, and ethics, in a non-political, analysis-based forum where they can meet, talk, and solve problems.
- Training and inspiring a new generation of technology leaders and thinkers to make advancing public purpose a part of their life calling.