Emerging Technologies and National Security

Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications for our lives. Will it, for example, provide unprecedented capabilities for criminals, terrorists, and hostile states to develop cyber attacks, biological weapons or other grave threats to our security?

But AI is just one of the emerging technologies with potentially transformative impact: a plethora of technologies and scientific breakthroughs are promising to reshape our future. In this speech and Q&A, hosted by the Centre for Defence Studies in the School of Security Studies at King’s College London, the UK Government’s Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser for National Security, Dr Paul Killworth OBE, will help us to understand the impact of these developments on national security.

Emerging technologies present new challenges and security threats, but they can also offer new opportunities to overcome these challenges and mitigate risks. In this fascinating and timely speech, Dr Killworth will explore the strategic implications, as well as how governments, alongside other stakeholders, can address these challenges and seize the advantages of emerging technologies.

Speaker Bio

Dr Paul Killworth OBE was appointed as the UK’s Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser for National Security in mid-2021, following a range of leadership and operational roles in GCHQ and other parts of government. In his current role, he is responsible for giving independent scientific advice on national security issues and working with the wider network of scientific advisers to address cross departmental issues. He holds a doctorate in the social anthropology of the military, and writes on themes surrounding technology, privacy and security.