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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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Elaine K. Dezenski
CEFP Senior Director and Head
Behnam Ben Taleblu
Iran Program Senior Director and Senior Fellow
- Iran
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- Iran Human Rights
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Max Meizlish
Research Fellow
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Tsai Ing-wen
Former President of Taiwan
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Overnight Brief: October 26, 2026
Read Full BriefToday In Issues:
FDD Research & Analysis
- Today at 8:30am (ET): "FDD Morning Brief," FDD Event
- "Canada’s Anti-Zionist Crack Up," FDD's Foreign Podicy
- "Brink: Inside America's Confrontation with Iran," FDD's The Iran Breakdown
- "Iran pushes hard on its nuclear rebuild — daring Trump to strike again," New York Post
- "Iran is not bowing to pressure," The Washington Post
- "Turkey Has Outsourced Its Censorship to American Companies," The Cipher Brief
- "The role of defense R&D in strengthening Israel’s capabilities, technological superiority," The Jerusalem Post
- "Prohibiting the Importation and Marketing of Certain Foreign-Produced Military-Grade Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) and UAS Critical Components for Non-U.S. Government, IncludingThose With Swarming Capabilities," FDD Public Comment
- "The U.S. Should Back Israel’s Push for Advanced Space Technology," FDD Policy Brief
- "Turkey and Pakistan Loop Qatar and Indonesia Into Burgeoning Defense Axis," FDD Policy Brief
- "The Houthis' Red Sea power play," Generation Jihad (FDD's Long War Journal)
- "Ukrainian intelligence details new low-cost Russian cruise missile," FDD's Long War Journal
- "Protests break out in Syria against ‘Israeli incursions and attacks’ as tensions rise," FDD's Long War Journal
- "FBI arrests alleged Islamic State supporter accused of plotting to assassinate Texas congressman," FDD's Long War Journal
The Must-Reads
- Hamas said to threaten Oct. 7-style attack over IDF advance in Gaza, PA’s nixed election
- U.S. evacuates Mideast outposts after suspected Iranian plot to target Americans
- Iran has detailed plans to hit Gulf undersea cables if war resumes, officials say
- Trump says decision nearing on Iran: deal or ‘finish it off’
- Ukraine’s military Starlink is working again, Kyiv says
- Zelenskiy says Ukrainian, Russian and US negotiators to meet in early November in Abu Dhabi
- Bloomberg Editorial: Pandering to Vladimir Putin won’t bring peace to Ukraine
- Saudi missile plant expansion may produce more powerful missiles, study says
- Algeria to send troops to Niger in first foreign deployment since 1973
- Kim Jong Un makes surprise trip to China, crosses new bridge
- France’s nuclear forces bring in neighbors to keep Russia in check
- WSJ’s Mary Anastasia O’Grady: Brazil votes for more Lula