Count on the AI crowd to have a full-blown culture war over the idea of anthropomorphism. True, many AI researchers and commentators are deep in the weeds of its philosophical implications. But confirmed stereotypes aside, …
Debate: "General"
Maritime surveillance has become Southeast Asia’s critical capability gap. Artificial intelligence combined with orbital surveillance technologies – which we call space AI – offers one way to close it. As China asserts ownership and control …
With slightly over a year to go to before the next national congress of China’s Communist Party, held every five years, China watchers are again busy updating their files on Xi Jinping, China’s enigmatic leader. …
Southeast Asia has quietly become the world’s largest manufacturing hub for financial fraud, and it’s no longer a distant problem for Australians. The scam economy operating out of Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and the Philippines is …
Whenever I write about China’s use of economic coercion, I receive remarkably similar responses. Beijing, I am told, was simply reacting to Australia’s decisions. Australia offended China, so China responded. The lesson is straightforward: if …
Welcome to the latest edition of ASPI’s Fault Lines. Every fortnight, ASPI’s Defence Strategy Program monitors the actions and developments shaping the regional order and Australia’s security. This edition covers the period from 21 August to 3 September …
At the opening ceremony of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting in Palau on Sunday, China’s Pacific envoy, Qian Bo, spoke with the media and threatened there would be ‘consequences’ from Taiwan’s presence. Qian said …
National Cabinet spent last Wednesday discussing how Australia’s data centres will be powered. The harder question – where they should be built – was left off the table. The meeting was meant to lock in …
It doesn’t all go Beijing’s way. In Latin America, China has been suffering notable reversals of influence. Honduras is a clear example. When it switched recognition from Taiwan to China in 2023, many observers interpreted …
The stalled US–Iran negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program and President Donald Trump’s announcement of a US-Saudi nuclear agreement have put nuclear weapons back in the spotlight. But the threat of nuclear breakout has been growing …
During the Optus outage in 2023, Australians joked about not being able to buy a coffee, pay for lunch or order an Uber. Looking back, I think we learnt the wrong lesson. The disruption wasn’t …
Australia and the United States should use the 75th anniversary of the Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty (ANZUS) to develop bilateral Defence Guidelines that strengthen the credibility and coherence of Australia’s deterrence architecture. …