The Institute for National Strategic Studies serves as a focal point for analysis of critical national security policy and defense strategy issues.
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May 20, 2026
"Strategic Insights" Moves to Monthly Release
Beginning in June 2026, Strategic Insights will shift from a weekly to a monthly release.
May 8, 2026
INSS Joins NATDEF Podcast to Discuss a Biodeterrence Framework
INSS expert consultant Dr. Diane DiEuliis was interviewed on the NATDEF podcast on the topic of a Biodeterrence Framework.
May 5, 2026
Substrate Vulnerability: Neural Factors in Cognitive Security | James Giordano
A realist approach to cognitive security must appreciate the dynamic interaction of biological, psychological and socioenvironmental factors as both (1) constituent to human function and (2) opportune targets of influence, and effect.
Irregular Warfare, Part One: Updating the Term and the Toolkit
Irregular warfare (IW) is not a new phenomenon, although its contemporary character has been substantively reshaped by advancements in technology, and more specifically, by the developments in AI.
May 4, 2026
Synthesized Command & Control: A new way human choices can guide AI warfighting
As the U.S. military races to adapt to ever-larger amounts of increasingly advanced, and iteratively autonomous AI, how do humans stay in control?
April 27, 2026
INSS Participates in 2026 Carlisle Conference on the PLA
INSS's Dr. Phillip Saunders, Dr. Elliot Ji, and Dr. Joel Wuthnow participated in the US Army War College Strategic Studies Institute’s annual Carlisle Conference on the PLA on March 25 and 26, 2026, at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.
Losing the Loop: A Model for Human Operational Involvement Part Two: A Proposed System Toward a Solution
Last week’s “Losing the Loop: Iteratively Autonomous Artificial Intelligence and the Question of Human Operational Involvement” examined how increasing autonomy in agentic AI reshapes the structure, tempo, and locus of human decision-making in operational environments, particularly as these systems transition from analytic tools to increasingly directive and generative components of the human–machine team. Seen in sequence, the logic is cumulative. The first section demonstrates how autonomy can erode the integrity of the decision loop. The second makes that erosion visible, locating the specific points at which human judgment becomes constrained or displaced.
April 21, 2026
Losing the Loop: Iteratively Autonomous Artificial Intelligence and the Question of Human Operational Involvement
The U.S. Department of War is rapidly scaling the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to the warfighter, streamlining routine tasks so operators can focus on what matters most. The successful launch of GenAI.MIL signals both momentum and institutional commitment to embedding AI across operational environments.
April 16, 2026
Breaking (Bad) Biotech — Revisiting the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention
Dr. Giordano explores how advances in biotechnology, like gene editing and AI, allow adversaries to easily create novel, weaponizable biological agents that are difficult to detect and defend against. In an evolving operational environment, the nature of biological warfare has shifted.
April 15, 2026
INSS Joins ASU Webinar to Discuss Ethical Frontiers of BCIs in Military Contexts
There are growing considerations of using current and emerging neurotechnology to develop brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) aimed at optimizing performance of the joint warfighter.