Gathering Geopolitical Storms — Can Technology Help Save the World Order?

The number of complex global security challenges has been increasing over the past few years, and these challenges place increasing demands on democratic countries around the world. Among these challenges are the Russia-Ukraine war, Chinese militarization and malign influence, North Korean provocations, Iranian antagonism, and the Israel-Hamas war. In addition to these global security challenges, technological developments in artificial intelligence and synthetic biology — as well as environmental impacts from climate change — demand urgent attention. The ability of democratically aligned countries to respond cohesively to these types of challenges is further tested by economic and political issues.

A RAND-led tabletop exercise at the 2024 Munich Security Conference provided insights into the state of the global security environment and how national governments can better leverage technology to address the geopolitical challenges of today and the near future. The 22 participants in attendance included current and former senior government officials; think tank leaders; and industry executives from the United States, Europe, and Japan. Participants emphasized the need for governments to improve their approaches to technological change and balanced this with caution about the potential challenges that technology can create.