2018

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Intentional Bias Is Another Way Artificial Intelligence Could Hurt Us

Conversations about unconscious bias in artificial intelligence often focus on algorithms unintentionally causing disproportionate harm to entire swaths of society. But the problem could run much deeper. Society should be on guard for the possibility that nefarious actors could deliberately introduce bias into AI systems.

Douglas Yeung @DouglasCYeung

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New Pakistan, Old Challenges

While the United States has been voicing concerns about the destabilizing potential of China's Belt and Road Initiative, Pakistan needs the economic stability that initiative could bring. As long as Pakistan remains a poor country, its democracy will be at risk.

Rafiq Dossani, Jalal Awan

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Partner Capacity-Building's Next Phase—Embracing Civil Works?

The way ahead for civil works capacity-building is not without its challenges. But in places that are plagued by extremist violence and irregular warfare, fostering civil society's trust and confidence isn't just an added benefit. It could instead be a targeted outcome.

James A. Schear

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America's Indefinite Endgame in Syria

The Trump administration's position on the Syrian civil war has shifted from countering ISIS to containing Iran. America will remain in Syria as long as Iran does. But an unending timetable for the withdrawal of troops is far more problematic for Washington than it is for Tehran.

Colin P. Clarke, Ariane M. Tabatabai

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Examining the Weak Spots in Tech's Supply Chain Armor

When an attack on the supply chain occurs, manufacturers and purchasers should be better positioned to respond and recover. Even the simplest devices can rely on parts from multiple suppliers, which may have their own suppliers and so on. But every supplier, no matter how small, represents a potential weak link in the chain.

Lillian Ablon

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The Perils of Connecting Our Bodies to the Internet

High-tech health care solutions are part of an emerging sector of medical technologies that monitor personal health data by essentially connecting your body to the Internet. As smart devices in health care evolve, the line between human and machine is blurring, and creating new concerns about consumer safety and privacy rights.

Mary Lee @MaryLee_PhD

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Assessing Recent Developments in Indonesian Maritime Security

Despite a daunting set of maritime challenges, Indonesia has placed renewed emphasis on maritime security governance. While the programs in place may take decades to bear fruit, Indonesia is on the path to securing the waterways and infrastructure so key to its overall economic development.

Lyle J. Morris

commentary

The Potential for Early Years Programmes to Close the Disadvantage Gap Is Under-Examined

Many schools are looking to close the disadvantage gap in their communities, but they need more evidence about what actually works. Research that helps policymakers and practitioners understand how early years interventions can promote equity and close the disadvantage gap is needed.

Megan Sim, Julie Belanger

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A Threat to Immigrant Health Care with Potential Consequences for All

The proposed changes to the “public charge” rule could jeopardize decades of progress towards improved health care access and health for immigrants and U.S. citizens. Negative effects may include worse health outcomes, increased use of emergency rooms, and increased prevalence of communicable diseases.

Kathryn Pitkin Derose

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In Opioid Policy, One Size Does Not Fit All

To solve America's opioid crisis, policymakers will need to view the epidemic as an "ecosystem," where policies that target only one part of the problem can have unintended consequences.

Bradley D. Stein @BradleyDStein

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Mitigating India's Climate-Change Misery

Despite years of dire forecasts, the international community has been unable to halt the steady climb in global temperatures, and it is the world's poorest who are paying the heaviest toll. As heat-related risks intensify, those living on the margins—in India and elsewhere—will need help to cope effectively.

Gulrez Shah Azhar

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We Asked the British Public What Kind of Brexit They Want—and a Norway-Like Deal Is the Clear Winner

The Brexit referendum outcome reveals very little about what people actually wanted. But a RAND Europe study of what people value about the EU finds that their priorities map most squarely onto a Norway-style model for future relations between the UK and the EU.

Charlene Rohr, David Howarth, et al.

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Education Policy 'Game Night' Debuts at RAND

Parents, teachers, principals, and community leaders played RAND's first education policy game. Participants had to work through scenarios affecting a fictional high school, such as how to cut its budget by 4 percent. The game showed researchers how different stakeholders might approach school improvement challenges and what drives their decisions.

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North Korean Actions Speak Louder Than Its Words

Kim Jong Un has regularly promised to denuclearize, but he's been all talk. And this year, North Korea has probably built five to nine more nuclear weapons. There are steps that could make a difference if taken before the North Korean nuclear weapon threat grows any further.

Bruce W. Bennett @bwbennett

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ISIS's New Plans to Get Rich and Wreak Havoc

Although the Islamic State has lost nearly 98 percent of the territory it once controlled, it is ripe for a comeback in Sunni-majority areas of Iraq and Syria. The group has proven that it is capable of making money even without controlling large population centers.

Colin P. Clarke