State Secrets

Vice Admiral Frank Whitworth, Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, discusses how AI is revolutionizing intelligence operations. He emphasizes the importance of effective technology use for national security, highlighting AI's role in imagery analysis and object detection. The collaboration between NGA and the U.S. Space Force is reshaping intelligence strategies, as operations extend from terrestrial to space. Whitworth also reveals how the agency is pivoting towards drug trafficking intelligence, integrating lessons from counterterrorism with cutting-edge technology.

Nick Fishwick, a former senior member of the British Foreign Office, and Dave Pitts, a former senior CIA executive specializing in clandestine operations, dive into the complex realities of modern warfare. They discuss Russia's mastery of gray zone tactics, which allow them to meddle internationally without triggering direct conflict. The conversation also explores how Western nations are evolving their strategies in response, analyzing the varied U.S. foreign policy approaches under different administrations and the importance of intelligence sharing amid geopolitical tensions.

When Walter Parkes co-wrote the movie War Games in 1983, he had no idea what he had launched.  The movie about a teen hacker played by Matthew Broderick examined what might happen if someone breached the security systems around U.S. nuclear weapons.  As it turned out, then-President Ronald Reagan saw the movie and asked the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time whether it was possible.  After an investigation, the answer came back, “Sir, it’s actually worse than you think.” Eighteen months later, the president signed a directive that would lead to an overhaul of cybersecurity in the U.S. Government.  As The Cipher Brief honors Parkes with this year’s Impact Through Storytelling Award at The Cipher Brief HONORS Dinner, we sat down with him to talk about the very real power of storytelling.

In this conversation, former Senior CIA Execuvite Chip Usher discusses the recent advancements made by the Chinese AI lab DeepSeq, particularly its new AI models that rival those of American companies like OpenAI. Usher, now the Senior Director for Intelligence at the Special Competitive Studies Project, explains the significance of these developments in the context of US-China competition in technology and innovation, emphasizing the need for the US intelligence community to enhance its focus on techno-economic intelligence to avoid being caught off guard by such breakthroughs. Usher also highlights the implications of DeepSeq's model for cybersecurity and the potential risks posed by hostile actors gaining access to advanced AI capabilities.  

In this conversation, Mike Vigil discusses the recent designation of Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations by the U.S. government, a move he says is largely symbolic with little real impact on the cartels' operations. He highlights the complexities of U.S.-Mexico relations, the ongoing fentanyl crisis, and the risks of military escalation. Vigil also offers advice for U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on addressing drug trafficking in Central America, stressing the importance of creating alliances and addressing the broader issues of drug production and trafficking.

Few people have the perspective that Lt. Gen Mike Groen (ret.) has when it comes to Artificial Intelligence and the impact it has and will have in the national security space.  Before retiring from the military, Lt. General Groen served as Director of the Pentagon’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center.  Today, he’s ringing the alarm about AI.  The military is already adapting AI, so how does he think we need to be understanding it today?

Michael Casey is Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, the part of the Director of National Intelligence that leads and supports the counterintelligence and security activities of the U.S. Government. NCSC produces the National Counterintelligence Strategy of the United States and includes the National Insider Threat Task Force. NCSC also plays a critical role in conducting outreach to the private sector on foreign intelligence threats: how to recognize them and how to mitigate them. I spoke with him recently from NCSC headquarters in McLean, Virginia about the risks that spies are posing to their enterprises and to future U.S. national security.

The Cipher Brief has been honored to support a number of non-profit organizations over the years that have made giving back their mission – especially in the national security world. In this episode of State Secrets, we’re welcoming David Kramer, a self-described ‘regular guy who wanted to give back’ and Jeremy Morton, a former special operations operator who has done some pretty impressive stuff during his time in the military – to talk about how they’re giving back via a non-profit called SOC-F.

Cipher Brief Expert and former Senior CIA Officer Glenn Corn is asking the questions of former Governor James Gilmore as this week’s guest host. Gilmore served as Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe under the first Trump Administration and says it’s critical that Ukraine wins this war.

Gilman Louie, co-founder of America's Frontier Fund and national security veteran, shares his unconventional journey in defense. He highlights the urgent need for the U.S. to enhance its protective measures against technological competition, particularly with China. Louie discusses the challenges in adapting defense strategies to modern warfare, the importance of innovation and collaboration with the private sector, and the pressing global threats reminiscent of historical crises. His insights shed light on the political intricacies and necessary reforms in national security.