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Trending Issues
Iran
Settler Violence, A New Israeli Government, and Return to U.S.-Israel-Iran War
Media Call
One war, many fronts: Iran and its proxies
Generation Jihad
China
Ukraine knows the secret to defending Taiwan
Kyiv’s use of unmanned boats shows how low-cost weapons can threaten a stronger navy.
The Washington Post
What to expect of a Trump-Xi-Putin nuke meeting — if it happens
Axios
October 1, 2026
2:00 pm
EVENT: Winning the Adoption War: Diffusing AI Across the U.S. Military
The United States leads the world in frontier artificial intelligence. However, cutting edge technology used by a limited number of people is a trophy, not a capability – and the contest with China will not be decided only at the frontier.
If the most sophisticated technology on earth reaches only a fraction of the force, how much advantage does it confer? How is the Pentagon moving from procuring AI to diffusing it across the force? What cultural and organizational changes does an “AI-first” military require? And how does the United States build and keep the technical talent inside government, turning tools into outcomes before its competitors close the gap?
To discuss these questions and others, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) hosts a conversation with FDD Visiting Military Fellow Major Megan “Napalm” Hainline, F-16 instructor pilot and AI leader; FDD Adjunct Fellow Isaac “Ike” Harris, executive director of the Frontier Security Institute; and Leah Siskind, FDD AI Research Fellow. The discussion will be moderated by RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation.
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Jonathan Schanzer
Executive Director
- Palestinian Politics
- Iran
- Iran Sanctions
- Iran Global Threat Network
- Hezbollah
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- Turkey
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Elaine K. Dezenski
CEFP Senior Director and Head
Behnam Ben Taleblu
Iran Program Senior Director and Senior Fellow
- Iran
- Iran Sanctions
- Iran Missiles
- Iran Human Rights
- Iran Politics and Economy
- Iran Global Threat Network
- Sanctions and Illicit Finance
Max Meizlish
Research Fellow
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U.S. Secretary of State and Acting National Security Advisor
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Tsai Ing-wen
Former President of Taiwan
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Former Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State
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Former President
Overnight Brief: October 28, 2026
Read Full BriefToday In Issues:
FDD Research & Analysis
- Today at 8:30am (ET): "FDD Morning Brief," FDD Event
- "The war began in 1979," The Washington Times
- "America’s Military Presence Reshapes Hormuz," WSJ Letter to the Editor
- "Israel’s moment of truth: Knesset election pivotal to future US-Israel relationship," The Jerusalem Post
- "Looking Over Benjamin Netanyahu’s Shoulder," The National Interest
- "Hezbollah Explosives Debunk Lebanon’s Sovereignty Myth," This Is Beirut
- "Jordan’s Crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood Is Far From Over," FDD Policy Brief
- "Jordanian Air Force strikes Syria in retaliation for deadly church attack," FDD's Long War Journal
- "Iraq juggles border security and ties with Iran, Syria, and Jordan," FDD's Long War Journal
The Must-Reads
- Early Israeli results show no clear winner in key election
- European leaders split over phone call to Putin
- U.S. warns Gulf of possible short, intense renewal of Iran war after midterms
- Overseas handler linked to Iran behind foiled RAF air base attack
- Saudi Ambassador to US Reema Bandar al-Saud: There is no limit to what the Houthis will do
- AEI’s Dan Blumenthal: This peninsula is an economic powder keg. A blast could cost trillions.
- India deploys extra forces after protests over dam on Chinese border escalate
- France temporarily sends maritime patrol plane to Black Sea after cargo ship attacks
- More than 100 people killed in Sudanese army drone attack on market says Sudanese rights group
- Bolsonaro is granted a visa to enter the U.S. after fleeing Brazil following election loss
- WSJ Editorial: A Cuba showdown at the U.N.
- The FP’s Eli Lake: Abdul El-Sayed and the Banana Libel