SCSP Summer Reading List: 2025 Highlights
SCSP's summer reading recommendations!
Hello, I'm Ylli Bajraktari, President of the Special Competitive Studies Project. In this edition of SCSP's newsletter, we've curated a summer reading and watching list that distills our key highlights from the first half of 2025, from landmark reports and major events to critical commentary and educational resources. There's something for everyone below. Read on to learn more and spread the word.
SCSP’s Summer Reading List
Welcome to SCSP's Summer Reading List! As the summer heats up, so does the pace of innovation and strategic competition. This year, we've curated a list of essential reads and listens from the Special Competitive Studies Project to keep you informed on the critical technologies shaping our future. Dive into our key highlights from 2025, offering insights into AI, fusion energy, global competition, and more.
💻An essential watch from The Exchange 2025
Don't miss Dr. Eric Schmidt's remarks from The Exchange 2025, where he highlighted the profound societal transformation driven by AI, emphasizing that resisting this technology will lead to losing the global competition, and urging leaders to understand and embrace AI-driven autonomy and intelligence as they redefine national power and daily life.
📖Latest SCSP Releases: Reports & Key Insights
China's AI Infrastructure Surge: How PRC Data Centers and AI Models Bridge Military Ambitions and Global Connections: This joint report with Strider Technologies exposes the PRC's extensive, state-directed efforts to secure an enduring asymmetric advantage in artificial intelligence.
Applying AI to Strategic Warning: This joint report from SCSP and CETaS (Centre for Emerging Technology and Security), explores how AI systems can enhance strategic warning for national security and intelligence. It delves into the potential for AI to monitor conflict indicators, generate scenarios, and assist analysts in anticipating geopolitical events, despite challenges like data scarcity.
Fusion Power: Enabling 21st Century American Dominance: Released by SCSP's Commission on the Scaling of Fusion Energy, this preliminary report outlines a strategy for U.S. leadership in fusion power, emphasizing its role in energy independence, economic stability, and technological leadership. The Commission continues its work throughout 2025, with a final report forthcoming.
Who's Ahead, Who's Behind, and Where We Are Headed Next in the U.S.-China Technology Competition: This comprehensive update to SCSP's initial gap analysis from 2022 provides a critical assessment of the U.S.-China technology competition. It revisits key technological areas like AI, advanced computing, batteries, and next-generation networks, identifying areas of strength, vulnerability, and opportunity for the United States
🎧Must Listen to Podcasts
Stay informed with SCSP's ongoing insights and expert discussions.
Tune in to Memos to the President, a podcast series dedicated to providing bold, actionable ideas to the current U.S. administration. Hosted by SCSP's President Ylli Bajraktari, Memos to the President features conversations with experts and leaders on critical issues related to national security, technology, and economic competitiveness. Check out some featured conversations below:
Tune into NatSec Tech. Hosted by Jeanne Meserve, NatSec Tech features vital conversations at the intersection of technology and national security. Check out some featured conversations below:
Nadia Schadlow & John Maslin on Critical Minerals and Rare Earth Magnets
Bob Mumgaard and Steven Cowley on the Critical Moment in Fusion
Dr. Stefanie Tompkins on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Tune into Strait Forward. Hosted by Channing Lee and Libby Lange, this podcast takes a deep-dive into Taiwan, the island at the forefront of technological innovation and the global fight for democracy. Hear Taiwanese experts discuss geopolitics, technology, and culture. Check out some featured conversations below:
🗞️Niche Newsletters
Our newsletters deliver timely analysis and updates directly to your inbox. We aim to provide deep dives into foreign policy, intelligence, defense, economy, governance, and future technology platforms. Subscribe to ensure you don't miss our expert insights and event recaps - check out some below:
• AI+ Strategy: Winning the AI Race
• AI+ Economy: AI and the New Economy
• AI+ Capital: America's Strategic Capital Imperative
• AI+ Energy: Energy Dominance: The Way Forward
🎤SCSP Events Shaping the Discourse
SCSP has hosted several impactful events in 2025, bringing together leaders and innovators from across government, academia, and industry.
The AI+ Expo and The Exchange: Advancing the Legacy of Innovation and National Security: These premier events brought together 15,000+ attendees, 500+ speakers, 350+ sessions, and a hackathon. All focused on AI and emerging technologies across various sectors. Check out some of the highlights below:
Keynote: Delivering Peace Through Overwhelming Strength. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, emphasized the urgent need for expanded collaboration between the Pentagon and the technology industry to accelerate the development and integration of AI.
Innovation and American Power: A Conversation with Sec. Condoleezza Rice, Moderated by George Lee. Dr. Condoleezza Rice joined George Lee at the AI+ Expo for a discussion on how technological innovation, particularly in AI, is fundamental to sustaining and enhancing American global power and security.
Delivering Peace and Security in the Indo-Pacific. The Honorable Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Philippine Secretary of National Defense, and Dr. Anshu Roy, Founder and CEO, Rhombus Power joined SCSP’s Ylber Bajraktari for a conversation on the critical role of technological innovation in deterring aggression and maintaining stability across the vital Indo-Pacific region.
AI+ Careers: Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling. Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling, joined AMD’s Keith Strier on the AI+ Careers stage where he emphasized AI literacy from early education, reimagined career pathways through apprenticeships, and public-private partnerships to address the growing demand for AI skills.
Strength Under Pressure: Advancing US Interests in a Shifting World. Senator David McCormick joined Michael Allen of Beacon Global Strategies for a conversation on how the United States must strategically leverage its technological strengths, particularly in AI.
Winning the Innovation Race: Policy, Investment, and American Ingenuity. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi gave a keynote address on winning the innovation race.
Progress Report: Commission on the Scaling of Fusion Energy. Commissioners on the Commission on the Scaling of Fusion Energy Mark Menezes, Mike Kuiken, and Dr. Kim Budil, joined SCSP’s David Lin to outline the Commission's advancements in developing a national strategy for accelerating fusion energy.
Driving Growth AI, States, and the New American Economy. Governor Tate Reeves gave a keynote address about how state-level leadership and innovative public-private partnerships are crucial for leveraging AI.
AI+Science Summit: Dedicated to exploring the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on scientific discovery and research, this summit highlights advancements and challenges at the intersection of AI and various scientific disciplines.
AI+Biotechnology Summit: Co-hosted with the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, this summit explored the convergence of AI and biotechnology, showcasing cutting-edge technology, exploring policy recommendations, and highlighting key factors essential to U.S. competitiveness in shaping a coordinated strategy for leadership in AI-enabled biotechnology.
AI+ Compute & Connectivity Summit: This summit convened leaders from government, industry, startups, and academia to address the fundamental question: What actions must the United States take to secure global leadership in AI, semiconductors, and advanced networks?
🎓SCSP x Coursera
Expand your expertise in AI and national security with SCSP's specialized online courses, designed to empower professionals in the public sector and beyond.
Enroll in the AI+AGI in National Security Microcredential – our brand-new, three-course sequence is designed to transform your understanding and application of AI. Join over a thousand learners in this self-paced program, available for free, to grasp AI fundamentals, explore emerging agentic AI and AGI/ASI, and enhance your strategic and operational capabilities, especially within the public sector. No prior experience in AI or national security is required!
Also check out AI in National Security: Integrating Artificial Intelligence into Public Sector Missions! This comprehensive 4-module course provides essential insights into leveraging AI tools for national security missions. Designed to prepare mid-career professionals, it covers why AI is a critical feature of national security, best practices for deployment, and how to advocate for AI adoption within organizations, with practical exercises using modern AI tools.
📺SCSP In The News
• Ylli Bajraktari and André Loesekrug-Pietri argue for a unified transatlantic strategy to maintain a competitive edge in emerging technologies in "US and Europe Need Transatlantic Technology Strategy to Remain Competitive" in Project Syndicate.
• Joe Wang was featured in POLITICO's "Is AI the Exception to 'America First'?" where he noted SCSP's ideas are reflected in the White House's AI Action Plan.
• Ylli Bajraktari emphasizes the urgency for the United States to invest in and lead the commercialization of fusion energy to outpace China in "The U.S. Must Act Now to Beat China and Dominate Fusion Energy" in Project Syndicate.
• Martijn Rasser and Wendy Anderson suggest that NATO could be a crucial vehicle for scaling technological advancements in Europe, particularly concerning defense capabilities in "NATO May Be Europe's Best Bet for Tech at Scale" in Breaking Defense.
• Ylli Bajraktari, Amos Yadlin, and Avner Golov on "The U.S.-Israel Partnership 2040" in The Hill, where they outline how the U.S. and Israel can deepen their strategic relationship by focusing on enhanced security cooperation and collaboration in critical technologies like AI, quantum computing, and biotechnology.
📅What's Next?
SCSP continues its mission to ensure America's long-term competitiveness in the age of AI and emerging technologies. Stay tuned for further reports from the Commission on the Scaling of Fusion Energy, upcoming events, and continued analysis on the critical issues shaping our techno-economic future.
On September 25th, 2025, SCSP will host the 5th Exchange on Innovation and National Security in Austin, Texas. This Exchange will focus on AI+ Autonomy for national security, and continue our mission of bringing together pioneering leaders and innovators from the government, industry, and the scientific community to accelerate collaboration in the service of U.S. national security. Join the waitlist to attend!
SCSP will host AI Unlocked on October 3rd and 4th, 2025, at National Landing. This brand-new event is designed to immerse attendees in how artificial intelligence integrates into our daily lives, showcasing innovative AI in action for a diverse audience spanning government, the private sector, academia, and the broader community with inspiring talks, cutting-edge demonstrations, and unique experiences. Register today!
In partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, SCSP will convene an AI+ Fusion Summit on October 14th, 2025. An installment in SCSP’s AI+ Summit series, this summit will spotlight recent progress in the Department of Energy’s fusion initiatives, the work of SCSP’s Commission on the Scaling of Fusion Energy, and the latest advances at the intersection of AI and fusion energy. Stay tuned for more information!
SCSP will convene an AI+ Space Summit on December 2-3, 2025. This event will spotlight major issues and developments in space national security and commercial space, including the emergence of new space economies, space as a new warfighting domain, and more. More information is coming soon!
Interesting to see SCSP's 2025 reading list. I'm curious about the tech stack used for this project. How are they dealing with data storage and retrieval? Any challenges faced in scaling or latency?
Can you share a few book titles from the SCSP Summer Reading List 2025 that particularly stood out and why?