Tech is changing the face of warfare.

Hi, Friends —

Welcome to [our digital disco]! I’m excited to have you here. Keep scrolling for this week’s key themes in tech, other newsworthy highlights, and my recent misc. thoughts (Snack Time). You can also check out last week’s newsletter here.

Notable Themes

☞ Tech is changing the face of warfare.

Governments around the world are integrating AI and other emerging technologies into conventional warfare. The investment into military-focused tech aligns with a broader trend toward hybrid warfare, which integrates emerging technologies, political, cyber, psychological, and financial tactics into larger war strategies. Throughout the war in Ukraine, for example, Russia has used hybrid tactics including espionage, cyberattacks, and internet-based disinformation to spread propaganda and groom civilians for a takeover. Elon Musks’s Starlink satellites, which leverage AI, geospatial, and other technologies, have proven useful to Ukraine for remote communications and even drone control. Last week a top Chinese general emphasized the need for greater integration of modern military capabilities, including AI, and highlighted their use in Ukraine. Nations are taking note, and gearing up to modernize and strengthen military capabilities through unconventional means.

• Why does it matter? The rise of hybrid warfare represents a profound transformation in the way wars are waged — impacting citizens personally by influencing public opinion and blurring the line between military and civilian spheres. Technology accelerates the spread of information, making tactics like propaganda more powerful and consequential. The integration of AI allows for faster decision-making, improved precision, and enhanced capabilities on the battlefield. However, it also introduces new vulnerabilities, such as the potential for AI-driven attacks or manipulation. Those leading these efforts are set to benefit from strengthened security and situational awareness — while their neighbors, allies, and opponents alike have good reason to be concerned.

• Pros: Blending conventional and unconventional tactics provides flexibility in complex environments, potentially reducing the cost of soldiers lives. The integration of AI and advanced technologies improves situational awareness, precision targeting, and decision-making. Finally, psychological and propaganda operations shape narratives and influence public opinion, potentially achieving desired outcomes without full-scale military engagement.

• Cons: Hybrid warfare exposes vulnerabilities in physical infrastructure, cybersecurity, and societal ties, leaving us susceptible to cyber-attacks and manipulation. This blending of military and civilian domains puts innocent civilians at risk. Psychological warfare and disinformation campaigns damage trust, harm the efficacy of political institutions, and promote division among groups. Finally, rapid technological advancements and the widespread adoption of hybrid warfare may escalate tensions and increase the likelihood of conflicts.

☞ Open source software: What’s all the fuss about?

‘Open source’ refers to a collaborative approach in which software's source code is made freely available to the public, allowing anyone to view, modify, and distribute it. (Think of it as an open kitchen, where everyone can see the recipe, suggest improvements, and cook her own version of the dish.) Open source software can also be abused or used incorrectly. And the more powerful the software, the graver the consequences. Over the last week, the debate over the guardrails of open source entered the spotlight with three controversial events: Meta's decision to open-source its AI technology, OpenAI’s preparation to release its own open-source model, and ever-nearing proposed EU AI Act — which just took a step closer to becoming law, and might cripple open source repositories.

• Why does it matter? The popularity of open source software has skyrocketed due to its affordability, flexibility, innovation, and transparency. Today, open source is at the heart of many of the technologies consumers and businesses rely on. Yet freely-available software greatly amplifies concerns about the abuse of potentially-dangerous technologies, and the consequences to those who use the shared code.

• Pros: Making software accessible to a broader community can foster collaboration and innovation, and prevent a few powerful companies from controlling the technology. Open source empowers individuals and organizations to leverage the collective intelligence of a global community, resulting in better software, increased flexibility, and cost savings.

• Cons: Critics argue that such openness could lead to the dissemination of harmful information and the loss of control over development. This might be particularly dangerous in the field of AI, which has the potential to spread misinformation, biased outcomes, and be leveraged for malicious intentions. There are also considerable cybersecurity concerns. The nature of open source also exposes it to more scrutiny, meaning hackers are more likely identify vulnerabilities and leverage them to target anyone who has used that same code.

Other Highlights

• Human DNA can be found everywhere, posing major privacy concerns. Scientists have demonstrated that even small fragments of human DNA can reveal medical and ancestry information. Ethical considerations arise regarding surveillance, individual identification, and the potential misuse of eDNA in law enforcement and other contexts.

• A trial involving a four-day workweek in the U.K. has shown to increase productivity — increasing momentum for the trend. British skincare maker Five Squirrels also dedicated specific periods to uninterrupted work and maintained employees’ full pay. The concept of a shorter workweek is gaining attention as employers seek to improve employee well-being and address a productivity slowdown prevalent in many Western economies.

• Meta has been hit with a record-breaking €1.2 billion fine by Ireland's Data Protection Commission for transferring European data to the US — data which was collected legally according to US law. The ruling gives Meta five months to cease data transfers to the US and six months to handle previously collected data. The decision highlights the broader issue of data transfers and surveillance practices, emphasizing the need for stronger limitations in US surveillance laws.

Snacktime

📓 Reading: Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino Is Teetering on the Glass Cliff — How Elon Musk’s appointment repeats a pattern in which companies led into crisis by men suddenly appoint women leaders.

♬ Listening to: Brent Hoberman on breaking rules, obsession, and the hard truths of entrepreneurship — The High Performance Podcast.

✰ Thinking about: The line that divides when we benefit from societal norms, and when we’re better off charting our own paths.

Next up

✎ Themes in FinTech and the economy. And whatever happens in the news.

✿ As always — any and all feedback is welcome! In the meantime: give someone a hug and say an ‘I love you’ this week. Make the world a little happier.