Show Notes
Welcome to “Nuclear bombs and bots”, the first episode of our second series! Hosted by the ELN’s Deputy Executive Director, Bekki Field, this episode explores the relationship between new “disruptive” technologies and nuclear weapons.
To start the episode, Bekki is joined by Edan Simpson, ELN Project and Communications Officer, and Julia Berghofer, Head of the ELN’s Nuclear and New Technologies programme, to break down what a “new technology” actually is, and why they matter for nuclear weapons policy.
Edan’s “How To Fix It” panel features Younger Generation Leaders Network (YGLN) members Alice Saltini and Ksenija Trajkovska; Alice is a former ELN Policy Fellow, where she spearheaded our research projects in nuclear and new technologies. Nowadays, she is the Senior Research Lead at the Rhode Island School of Design and a Non-Resident Expert on AI at the James Martin Centre for Non-Proliferation Studies; Ksenija Trajkovska is a Senior OSINT & CBRN Analyst at Fenix Insight and an incoming Research Analyst at Open Nuclear Network.
We ask our panel:
Whether we focus so much on the risks posed by emerging technologies that we ignore their potential benefits to nuclear weapons systems?
And how important is training for military personnel to recognise and challenge the biases that can evolve from an increasing use of AI in military systems?
Moving on to “Turn Back the Clock”, where we look at how new technologies have historically affected nuclear weapons, Bekki is joined by Alexandra Bell, a YGLN alumnus, former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Affairs in the Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability (ADS) at the U.S. Department of State, and the President and CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Bekki and Alex discuss the history of these technological advancements, how technology changes threa perceptions, and how equipped the expert community is to cope with the pace of technological change.
Finally, as always, the episode wraps up with “The Debrief,” where Bekki, Edan and Julie review everything they’ve covered.
Catch up on previous episodes and make sure to subscribe to future episodes of “Ok Doomer!”
Referenced in the podcast: The AI lens of cognitive warfare: Why LLMs language bias is a security risk by Ihor Samokhodskyi
More from Ok, Doomer!
Thirty years ago, on 24 September 1996, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) opened for signature. In this special episode of Ok, Doomer!, we look at what the treaty has achieved over the past three decades, why it remains an important part of the global nuclear order despite never entering into force, and the challenges it faces today.
Welcome to a special expanded episode of Ok, Doomer!, hosted by the ELN’s Deputy Executive Director Bekki Field and outgoing Project and Communications Officer Edan Simpson. Today, we ask a fundamental and urgent question: what comes next for the NPT at a moment of mounting pressure on the global nuclear order?
Welcome to “Avoiding Accidental Armageddon: Nuclear Fail-Safe Reviews”, the second episode of our second Ok, Doomer! podcast series. Hosted by the ELN’s Deputy Executive Director Bekki Field and outgoing Project and Communications Officer Edan Simpson, this episode explores how nuclear fail-safe reviews can reduce the risk of accidental, mistaken or unauthorised nuclear use.
Welcome to “Nukes & Other New Tech”, a bonus episode of “Ok, Doomer!”, the podcast series by The European Leadership Network’s (ELN) New European Voices on Existential Risk (NEVER) network. Hosted by the ELN’s Policy and Impact Director, Jane Kinninmont and Project and Communications Coordinator, Edan Simpson, this episode takes a deep dive into the interplay between nuclear weapons and emerging and disruptive technologies... In today’s special bonus episode, Jane and Edan are taking a deep dive into an ELN project exploring the emerging risks posed by the intersection between new technologies and nuclear weapons.
Welcome to “How To Save The World” the final episode of Ok, Doomer!, the podcast series by The European Leadership Network’s (ELN) New European Voices on Existential Risk (NEVER) network. Hosted by the ELN’s Policy and Impact Director, Jane Kinninmont, and Project and Communications Coordinator, Edan Simpson, this episode takes a step back to assess what we’ve learned about existential and global catastrophic risks in previous episodes and what comes next. In “What’s the Problem?”, Jane and Edan wrap up the series by reflecting on key themes, including the importance of long-term planning and collaboration across different sectors and countries.