Spies, Lies, and Algorithms: The History and Future of American Intelligence

“Today we face a critical juncture for American spy agencies, as big as 9/11 — only most people don’t know it,” says  Amy B. Zegart, one of the country’s leading experts on intelligence and a professor at Stanford University. “New dangers come from tech, not terrorists. Emerging technologies like AI and social media are weakening the strong and empowering the weak, fundamentally changing dynamics of international conflict. To be blunt: The U.S. is losing its intelligence advantage.”

To help us better understand these looming threats, Zegart has written “Spies, Lies, and Algorithms: The History and Future of American Intelligence” (Princeton University Press; February 1, 2022). It’s the first comprehensive book on the past, present, and future of American intelligence—and outlines what’s urgently needed to protect our nation today. The book draws on over thirty years of research (including new research just for this book) and hundreds of interviews with current and former intelligence officials. Weak intelligence makes us more vulnerable to attacks on our power grids, water supply, elections, corporate network servers, and nuclear weapons. Helping the American public better understand these evolving threats is crucial.

Amy B. Zegart is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, a professor of political science, past co-director of Stanford’s Center for International Security and Cooperation, a contributing writer at The Atlantic, and has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Foreign Affairs. She has previously served as a national security analyst for CNN, MSNBC, Fox News Channel, and National Public Radio. In September 2021, The Atlantic published two pieces by Dr. Zegart on the 20^th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, available here. Recent broadcast media appearances can be viewed here and here and her full CV here.

For more information on this event, contact Elizabeth Doughtie at [email protected].