RAND Articles2026-05-14T10:29:00ZCopyright (c) 2026, The RAND CorporationRAND Corporationhttps://www.rand.org/pubs/articles.htmlhttps://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2026/can-china-stop-its-demographic-slide-can-the-united.htmlCan China Stop Its Demographic Slide? Can the United States?2026-04-23T15:30:00Z2026-04-23T15:30:00ZChina's fertility decline could strain its government, undermine its security, and sap its economic energy. That may seem like an advantage for the United States, but U.S. fertility rates are slipping, too.https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2026/could-deep-sea-mining-break-chinas-grip-on-critical.htmlCould Deep Sea Mining Break China's Grip on Critical Minerals?2026-04-14T14:30:00Z2026-04-14T14:30:00ZWhat look like seabed rocks are polymetallic nodules, rich in the minerals that drive modern economies. They could help break U.S. reliance on China, which controls the market. But nobody has ever mined seabed nodules at scale, much less processed them for industrial use.https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2026/trump-retirement-accounts-costs-and-savings.htmlTrump Retirement Accounts: Costs and Savings2026-03-16T19:15:00Z2026-03-16T19:15:00ZPresident Trump promised to provide Americans without retirement savings accounts a government-sponsored plan that would match up to $1,000 a year in individual contributions. This would help workers and also reduce the federal deficit in the long run.https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2025/dr-whiskers-and-a-trip-to-hogwarts-adventures-with.htmlDr. Whiskers and a Trip to Hogwarts: Adventures with Generative AI2025-08-08T16:45:00Z2025-08-08T16:45:00ZAisha Nájera participated in a contest to coax bad answers from AI models—part of a federal effort to make the models safer and more trustworthy by exposing their weaknesses. She outmaneuvered different chatbots more than a dozen times, proving that you can't always trust what you get from them.https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2025/apprentices-needed-construction-shortages-threaten.htmlApprentices Needed: Construction Shortages Threaten American Growth2025-04-23T13:30:00Z2025-04-23T13:30:00ZU.S. plans for new factories, new tech hubs—even new homes—are about to crash into one very inconvenient fact. Not enough people work in construction to turn those plans into actual, hammer-and-nail reality. Not even close.https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2025/ai-and-the-future-of-the-us-electric-grid.htmlAI and the Future of the U.S. Electric Grid2025-04-04T13:30:00Z2025-04-04T13:30:00ZAI data centers suck up energy like small cities. But AI could be a big part of the solution, too. There are risks here and grid operators need to move with caution. But AI could usher in an energy future that is more resilient, more efficient, and more affordable for customers.https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2024/welcome-to-our-new-website.htmlWelcome to Our New Website2024-11-13T09:00:00Z2024-11-13T09:00:00Zrand.org now has a fresh look and feel, improved functionality, and enhanced performance.https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2024/can-track-2-discussions-help-stem-the-decline-in-us-china-relations.htmlCan Track 2 Discussions Help Stem the Decline in U.S.-China Relations?2024-11-08T12:15:00Z2024-11-08T12:15:00ZThe status of U.S.-China relations calls for additional efforts beyond the usual high diplomacy to cut through the atmosphere of distrust. Unofficial or quasi-official dialogues are underway with scholars, policy analysts, and experts covering topics such as human rights, climate change, and AI.https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2024/the-value-of-caregivers-to-veterans-health-wellness.htmlThe Value of Caregivers to Veterans' Health, Wellness, and Recovery2024-11-06T12:45:00Z2024-11-06T12:45:00ZMore than 14 million Americans are caring for a service member or veteran. They provide services worth billions of dollars every year, often at tremendous financial and emotional costs to themselves. They need better access to mental health care, compensation, and other support.https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2024/wargaming-the-future-of-climate-change.htmlWargaming the Future of Climate Change2024-11-01T18:30:00Z2024-11-01T18:30:00ZThe U.S. Department of Defense describes climate change as a critical national security issue and a “threat multiplier.” A new card game can help military leaders think through how climate change might affect people, infrastructure, and military operations.https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2024/social-media-manipulation-in-the-era-of-ai.htmlSocial Media Manipulation in the Era of AI2024-08-29T12:00:00Z2024-08-29T12:00:00ZAI has opened a potential propaganda gold mine. Large language models like ChatGPT can learn to mimic human speech. They can respond to jokes and cultural references and engage users in debates. Social media platforms should redouble their efforts to identify, attribute, and remove fake accounts.https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2024/how-to-manage-escalation-with-nuclear-adversaries.htmlHow to Manage Escalation with Nuclear Adversaries Like China2024-08-28T12:15:00Z2024-08-28T12:15:00ZThe United States needs a theory of victory that explains how it plans to win a potential future war with China without triggering a nuclear war. Three historical crises that played out under the shadow of nuclear weapons hold some important lessons. https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2024/teachers-are-still-stressed-and-underpaid-post-covid.htmlTeachers Are Still Stressed and Underpaid Post-COVID2024-08-22T12:22:00Z2024-08-22T12:22:00ZThis school year will be the fifth since COVID emptied classrooms and upended education as we knew it. Student test scores have not recovered. Districts nationwide report lingering staff shortages. And teachers still work long hours, earn relatively low salaries, and are stressed out.https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2024/climate-change-risk-to-national-critical-functions.htmlClimate Change Risk to National Critical Functions2024-07-10T12:00:00Z2024-07-10T12:00:00ZThe changing climate will strain the basic functions that underpin American society. Core services such as supplying water and electricity, providing medical care, and responding to emergencies like floods will face regional- or even national-level disruptions in the years to come. https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2024/what-nato-countries-and-other-us-allies-contribute.htmlWhat NATO Countries and Other U.S. Allies Contribute to the Collective Defense2024-07-05T09:00:00Z2024-07-05T09:00:00ZNATO countries pledge to spend 2 percent of their GDP on defense and over half are on track to hit that target this year. But that 2 percent number has never been a great metric. A new country-by-country index shows in detail what allies can actually bring to the table in time of war. https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2024/an-affordable-diarrhea-treatment-could-save-thousands-of-children.htmlAn Affordable Diarrhea Treatment Could Save Thousands of Children's Lives2024-05-15T12:30:00Z2024-05-15T12:30:00ZDiarrhea kills by dehydration. The discovery that salts plus glucose and water can keep patients alive has been hailed as one of the greatest medical advances of the past century. Yet health care providers from South Asia to sub-Saharan Africa don't prescribe them enough.https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2024/emerging-threats-to-financial-markets.htmlEmerging Threats to Financial Markets2024-05-13T12:30:00Z2024-05-13T12:30:00ZThe greatest danger to the U.S. financial system is the constant assault on reality—the deepfake videos and manipulated AI—that could weaken the system over time. It will be slow, but it will be steady and hard to stop—like financial climate change.https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2024/when-ai-gets-it-wrong-will-it-be-held-legally-accountable.htmlWhen AI Gets It Wrong, Will It Be Held Accountable?2024-05-09T12:00:00Z2024-05-09T12:00:00ZRAND researchers fielded their survey to provide the first nationally representative look at what people will actually do when faced with an unfair AI outcome.https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2024/red-teaming-the-risks-of-using-ai-in-biological-attacks.htmlRed-Teaming the Risks of Using AI in Biological Attacks2024-03-25T13:00:00Z2024-03-25T13:00:00ZA RAND experiment brought together several dozen researchers to role-play bad guys planning a biological attack. Some had access to large language models while others only had access to the internet. A panel of experts graded each team's plan on whether or not it could be viable.https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2024/artificial-intelligence-and-biotechnology-risks-and.htmlArtificial Intelligence and Biotechnology: Risks and Opportunities2024-03-21T17:00:00Z2024-03-21T17:00:00ZMachine learning is helping scientists make sense of the genetic keys that could unlock new crops, new drugs, and vaccines. But policymakers may not be prepared for the impact those two fields could have together. To make the most of the opportunities to come, and to avoid the dangers, that has to change.