SPECIAL: Big Data, Emerging Technology & National Security Decision-Making Lecture

Technology and Security (TS)

Special Episode: Big Data, Emerging Technology & National Security Decision-Making Lecture

*Unfortunately, the episode we had planned to release today is still in production. Our guest was recalled to deal with a major cyber incident on the day of recording. This episode will hopefully be released soon.*

Instead, by popular request, we are bringing you a special episode. This is an edited lecture I gave at ANU which covers big data and emerging technologies, their impacts on national security and how they create friction in national security decision-making. Big data isn't just a buzzword anymore; it's fundamentally altering the landscape of national security. Data abundance, digital connectivity, and ubiquitous technology form what I call the big data landscape. They are a trifecta shaping the future of national security.

This lecture highlights how the big data landscape and technologies like AI are broadening out and challenging our understanding of national security. It also shows that they are centralising informational, computation and commercial power. It then explores the way new technologies create friction in national security agencies and in policymaking process. Friction from within shows how intelligence and decision-making are impacted and friction from outside looks at the information environment.

Resources mentioned in the recording:

· · Miah Hammond-Errey (2024) Big Data, Emerging Technologies and Intelligence: National Security Disrupted (20% discount code for book AFL04)

· Jennifer Jackett (2023) Black Swan Strategy paper, Defence Innovation and The Australian National Interest

· Miah Hammond-Errey (2020) Chapter 18, Transformational Technology and Strategy In: N. Finney, ed., On Strategy,1st ed. Army University Press

· Feb 2023, Secrecy, sovereignty and sharing: How data and emerging technologies are transforming intelligence, USSC

· Blake Johnson, Miah Hammond-Errey, Daria Impiombato, Albert Zhang (2022) Suppressing the truth and spreading lies. How the CCP is influencing Solomon Islands’ information environment

· Miah Hammond-Errey (2023) Big data, emerging technologies and the characteristics of ‘good intelligence’, Intelligence and National Security
· 15 July 2023, Twitter Is Becoming a Sewer of Disinformation, Foreign Policy https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/07/15/elon-musk-twitter-blue-checks-verification-disinformation-propaganda-russia-china-trust-safety/
· Zedner, Lucia. 2009. Security (Routledge: London).

· Véliz, Carissa. 2021. 'Privacy and digital ethics after the pandemic', Nature Electronics, 4: 10-11.
· Buzan, Barry, Ole Waever, and Jaap de Wilde. 1998. Security : a new framework for analysis (Boulder, Colo. : Lynne Rienner Pub. , 1998.).
· Kent, Sherman. 1966. Strategic intelligence for American world policy (Princeton University Press: Princeton, N.J.,).

· Lowenthal, Mark M. 2012. Intelligence: from secrets to policy (SAGE/CQ Press: Los Angeles Thousand Oaks, California).

· Omand, David. 2010. Securing the state (Columbia University Press: New York).

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, and we pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging — here and wherever you’re listening. We acknowledge their continuing connection to land, sea and community, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Thanks to the talents of those involved. Recording by ANU, music by Dr Paul Mac and production by Elliott Brennan.

Transcript, check against delivery

Dr Miah Hammond-Errey: [00:00:02] Welcome to Technology and Security. TS is a podcast exploring the intersections of emerging technologies and national security. I'm your host, Doctor Miah Hammond-Errey. Today we are bringing you a special episode. Our planned guest was recalled to deal with a major cyber incident on the day of recording. The episode we had planned to release today is still under production and we hope to get it to you soon. So instead, we're bringing you a special episode. It’s a recording of a lecture I gave at the Australian National University on the impact of big data and emerging technologies on national security decision making. It’s based on my book, Big Data Emerging Technologies and Intelligence: National security disrupted released by Routledge in January.

Prof Toni Erskine: [00:00:51] Good afternoon. My name is Toni Erskine, and I'm a Professor of international politics at the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs here at the ANU. I'd like to begin by celebrating and paying my respects to the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples, ancestors and elders, the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet this afternoon, and also extend that respect to First Nations peoples from elsewhere across this country. It's my absolute pleasure to welcome you today to the second seminar in a new seminar series on AI, Automated Systems and the Future of War. This is a project that's being generously funded by the Australian Department of Defence. I'm absolutely delighted to have Doctor Miah Hammond-Errey here with us this afternoon. And Miah's exciting research, I think, speaks to this theme in a number of respects. And actually, I don't think I can think of a better speaker to be part of this series. Just to tell you a little bit about Miah, her important work explores the intersection of emerging technology and security, and she's published widely on technology, intelligence, national security, and information warfare. Miah's forthcoming book is called Big Data Emerging Technologies and Intelligence. National Security Disrupted, and we need to all look out for that book. Miah will speak to us this afternoon on the impacts of big data and emerging technologies on national security and decision making. Miah, I think I'll pass over to you. Thank you so much for being here this afternoon. Thank you.

Dr Miah Hammond-Errey: [00:02:30] I just want to start by also acknowledging we're on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Nambri people and pay my respects to their elders, past, present and emerging. Thank you so much for inviting me, Toni, and for running this important series. Toni has asked me to kind of talk throug...