ChinaTalk

Michèle Flournoy on "Affecting the Strategic Calculus"

Mar 24, 2021

Michèle Flournoy, a prominent former Undersecretary of Defense for Policy and co-founder of CNAS, joins Eric Lofgren to delve into critical military strategies. They explore China's strategies in systems destruction warfare and the pressing need for the U.S. to modernize its defense investments by potentially divesting from legacy weapon systems. The conversation highlights the importance of AI and ML in reshaping military decision-making and advocates for a comprehensive 'Manhattan Project' approach to technology in defense, addressing the competitive landscape with China.

41:47

Creator website

Episode guests

Eric Lofgren

Michèle Flournoy

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

6min

Modernizing Military Investment Strategies

15min

Human Capital and Military Fusion

9min

Balancing Basic and Applied Research in National Defense

3min

Rethinking Military Strategies in an Asymmetric World

6min

Unpredictable Conversations and Anticipation

3min

Michèle Flournoy joined AcquisitionTalk's Eric Lofgren and me for another crossover episode of China-AcquisitionTalk. Flournoy is a former Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, co-founder and new board chair of CNAS (where I'm a fellow), and currently the founder and managing partner of WestExec Advisors. I dove deep into the archive, digging up copies of Flournoy's undergraduate and master's theses to discuss "psycho-social approaches to international relations" and 1980s nuclear policy. We also covered:

China’s approach to systems destruction warfare
How to make a compelling case for technologists to join DoD
Nuclear policy and affecting the strategic calculus
Whether “legacy” weapons need divestment
A “Manhattan Project” for AI/ML

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Outtro music: O.WEN《官方回答》 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXT3zITsydQ

The views expressed in this podcast do not reflect those of the Rhodium Group.

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