Stop the World

In today’s episode of The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions, Alex Caples speaks to Jennifer Zhu Scott, globally recognised AI expert and Founding Partner of IN. Capital, about artificial intelligence and the changing value of data. They discuss how rapid tech advancements have seen debates about how to keep governments out of cyberspace and technology turn into calls for governments to step in to regulate the online world. As part of this, they explore the value of personal data, which is no longer limited to debates about privacy but about who owns the data and who can profit from it. They explain how big companies are using personal data for profit, and the need for individuals and corporations to regain control of their data, both from an economics perspective and to safeguard personal freedoms. The Sydney Dialogue (TSD) is ASPI’s flagship initiative on cyber and critical technologies. The summit brings together world leaders, global technology industry innovators and leading thinkers on cyber and critical technology for frank and productive discussions. TSD 2024 will address the advances made across these technologies and their impact on our societies, economies and national security. Find out more about TSD 2024 here: https://tsd.aspi.org.au/ Guests: Alexandra Caples Jennifer Zhu Scott

Today we have a double episode special on arbitrary detention and the decline of press freedoms, with two people who have been wrongfully detained. David Wroe speaks to distinguished journalist and author Peter Greste, about his experience of detention in Egypt, how governments should respond to the use of arbitrary detention, and his take on the recent prisoner swap between the US, Russia and other countries which saw the return of the Wall Street Journal’s Evan Gershkovich to the United States. Tasfia Zeba from the ASPI DC office speaks to Kylie Moore-Gilbert, academic, writer and co-founder of the Australian Wrongful and Arbitrary Detention Alliance, or AWADA. Tasfia asks Kylie about her wrongful detention in Iran, lessons countries can learn from each other’s experiences including how to disincentivise state hostage taking and why governments should impose Magnitsky sanctions on those responsible.   Guests: David Wroe Peter Greste Tasfia Zeba Kylie Moore-Gilbert

In the next episode of The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions, it’s all about economic security. ASPI’s Executive Director, Justin Bassi, interviews Abigaël Vasselier, head of the Foreign Relations team at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) in Berlin. They discuss – and debate – how the EU and individual member states have responded to Russia’s war on Ukraine, Beijing’s use of economic power to coerce and the increasing alignment and cooperation between Beijing and Moscow. They also talk about critical technologies and supply chain vulnerabilities; and how Beijing has taken advantage of inconsistencies and different national approaches to security, including on policies such as 5G in Germany. The Sydney Dialogue (TSD) is ASPI’s flagship initiative on cyber and critical technologies. The summit brings together world leaders, global technology industry innovators and leading thinkers on cyber and critical technology for frank and productive discussions. TSD 2024 will address the advances made across these technologies and their impact on our societies, economies and national security. Find out more about TSD 2024 here: https://tsd.aspi.org.au/ Note: This interview was recorded on 9 July. Guests: Justin Bassi Abigaël Vasselier

The Sydney Dialogue (TSD) is just weeks away. To help our listeners prepare for the forthcoming discussions at TSD, we are bringing you an interview with Gilman Louie, who was the first CEO of In-Q-Tel— set up in 1999 by the CIA as an independent, not-for-profit strategic investment firm —and Commissioner on the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence from 2018-2021. Gilman is co-founder and partner at Alsop Louie Partners, and he is also a co-founder and CEO of the America’s Frontier Fund, so there is no one better placed to talk about strategic competition, innovation and investment. Director of the Sydney Dialogue, Alex Caples, asks Gilman about the role of technology as a component of state power, how the innovation landscape has changed in the United States and how the government and private sector are working together on innovation and investment in the design and manufacturing of technologies. TSD is ASPI’s flagship event for cyber and critical technologies. The summit brings together world leaders, global technology industry innovators and leading thinkers on cyber and critical technology for frank and productive discussions. TSD 2024 will address the advances made across these technologies and their impact on our societies, economies and national security. Find out more about TSD 2024 here: https://tsd.aspi.org.au/ Guests: Dr Alexandra Caples Gilman Louie

Subsea cables have been a major focus in the media lately. Just last week at the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Tokyo, Australia announced the launch of its new Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre—its contribution to the Quad Leaders’ Partnership for Cable Connectivity and Resilience. So, what are subsea or undersea cables and why are they important? In this short explainer, Olivia Nelson speaks with ASPI experts Jocelinn Kang and Jessie Jacob about this vital strategic asset, where their vulnerabilities lie, and their role in Australia’s resilience. Guests: Olivia Nelson Jocelinn Kang Jessie Jacob

AUSMIN (Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations) – what is it, how did it come about and why is it important? Ahead of next week’s meeting on 6 August in the United States between Australia’s Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence and the US Secretaries of State and Defense, this week’s episode of Stop the World is a special explainer. ASPI’s own former AUSMIN attendees, Executive Director, Justin Bassi, and Director of Strategic Communications, David Wroe, reminisce about the annual AUSMIN meeting, its Cold War history and its ongoing significance for the Australia-US relationship, how it has evolved over time, and what you need to know ahead of next week's 34th meeting. The episode features reflections from the Hon Kim Beazley AC, an AUSMIN founding member who attended the first five meetings as Minister for Defence before returning to the table as Ambassador, and Marise Payne, one of only two people to have attended AUSMIN as both Foreign and Defence minister throughout six meetings. They provide behind-the-scenes insights into why AUSMIN formed, what the meetings were like, the benefits of AUSMIN for both countries and some of the most significant moments across AUSMIN’s history. For anyone interested in understanding one of the key mechanisms in the US-Australia alliance, this is a useful primer to next week's meeting!

In today’s episode, senior analyst Dr Alex Bristow is joined by Professor Guibourg Delamotte, Professor of Political Science at the Japanese studies department of the French Institute of Oriental Studies and Yamagami Shingo, former Japanese Ambassador to Australia, who is also, among several roles, Senior Fellow at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. They discuss this week’s “blizzard of Indo-Pacific diplomacy”, which has included the Quad Foreign Minister’s meeting in Tokyo, a US-Japan 2+2, an ASEAN meeting in Laos, and a visit by Foreign Minister Penny Wong to several countries in Asia including South Korea, where she made strong remarks about North Korea’s deepening ties with Russia. They also cover the prospect of Japan’s joining AUKUS Pillar Two, to collaborate on cutting-edge defence technologies. It’s a fascinating recap on some of this week’s big events with two leading experts on Japan.

This week on the pod, David Wroe interviews Russia expert Mark Galeotti. Mark is a renowned author of many books, including ‘We Need to Talk About Putin’ and ‘Downfall: Prigozhin, Putin, and the new fight for the future of Russia’, and host of the podcast ‘In Moscow’s Shadows’. David asks Mark for an update on Russia’s war on Ukraine, whether time is on Ukraine or Russia’s side, the impacts of the war on Russia domestically and Putin’s hold on power. They also discuss the increase of Russia’s sabotage activities across Europe and the potential impacts of the US elections on Russia’s war on Ukraine. Mark is a true Russia expert and he’s full of insights that you’re unlikely to have heard elsewhere. Guests: David Wroe Mark Galeotti

The countdown to the Sydney Dialogue (TSD) is on!   In the second episode of ASPI’s TSD Summit Sessions, Justin Bassi, Executive Director of ASPI, speaks to James Appathurai, NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, Hybrid and Cyber on all things tech, innovation, security and democracy.     Justin and James discuss hybrid threats in the context of challenges in Europe and the Indo-Pacific, and how democracies in both regions need to work together to prevent and respond to these increasing activities. They explore the impact of technological innovation on security, the rise of artificial intelligence and deep fakes and the risks to democracies, including in elections.     They discuss the challenges posed by Russia and China and how they are harnessing technology to achieve their goals. The conversation canvasses the need for a strategy of deterrence, not just in relation to conflict, but to counter threats below the threshold of war. Such a strategy will require some offence, not just defence, to protect both domestic democratic processes and the international rules-based order.     Note: This episode was recorded prior to the NATO Summit, which took place in Washington DC on 9-11 July.     Guests:   Justin Bassi  James Appathurai 

The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions are back!   Today on Stop the World, we are relaunching our special series – The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions. To kick off the series, Alex Caples, Director of ASPI’s Sydney Dialogue, speaks to Brendan Dowling, Australia’s Cyber Affairs and Critical Technologies Ambassador.   This conversation covers all things cyber and offers a preview of some of the topics to be explored in Sydney in September. Alex and Brendan discuss the importance of security by design, regional security and the cybersecurity threats our region is facing, and the opportunities the digital transition provides the clean energy transition.   The Sydney Dialogue (TSD) is ASPI’s flagship initiative on cyber and critical technologies. The summit brings together world leaders, global technology industry innovators and leading thinkers on cyber and critical technology for frank and productive discussions. TSD 2024 will address the advances made across these technologies and their impact on our societies, economies and national security.   Find out more about TSD 2024 here: https://tsd.aspi.org.au/    Guests:   Dr Alexandra Caples Brendan Dowling