What's Happening at SCSP? A New Report, a Drone Competition and More.
Don't miss this week's exciting announcements.
Hello, I’m Ylli Bajraktari, President of the Special Competitive Studies Project. This week, we announced new sponsors and our first speaker at the upcoming AI+ Expo and released our latest paper on Applying AI to Strategic Warning.
SCSP has taken over the DMV on WMATA buses and Metro cars! If you see an AI+ Expo ad, take a photo and post it on social media and tag SCSP and use #SCSPSpotted. Those who do will receive a giveaway at the event!
There's something for everyone below. Read on to learn more and spread the word.
Exciting AI+ Expo Announcements!
Join us on June 2-4, 2025 at the Washington Convention Center as we bring together the brightest minds in artificial intelligence, policy, and industry - check out some of the exciting things that will be at the AI+ Expo below!
This week we announced that Guillaume Verdon, Founder and CEO of Extropic Corp will be speaking at the AI+ Expo! We also announced that AMD, Exiger, Datenna, SAS, Divergent, Dakota State University, and the South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development will be joining us as sponsors at this year’s event. Stay tuned for additional exciting announcements coming soon!
Drone Arena
At the AI+ Expo, be sure not to miss the drone arena! There will be a drone assembly workshop where you can learn about the inner workings of drones, simulators to learn and practice speed and agility skills, and professional pilot demos.
Plus, in partnership with the U.S. National Drone Association we are hosting an interservice U.S. Military drone competition! The competition is open to all military service members, high school, and college students - if you are interested in competing, apply below.
The Exchange: Advancing the Legacy of Innovation and National Security
This Exchange - fourth in a series - will bring together pioneers and champions of innovation from the government, private sector, and scientific community to examine how to advance collaboration in pursuit of national security. Our series of Exchanges was inspired by Dr. Ash Carter, the 25th Secretary of Defense, whose pioneering work on bringing together innovation and national security initiated a transformational change across the U.S. government. The Exchange is set to continue the extraordinary discussions and connections made during previous events, further solidifying its position as a leading forum for exploring the intersection of AI and national security. Stay tuned for exciting speaker announcements soon!
Hackathon
We're teaming up with AGI House to co-host our third—and biggest—Hackathon yet! Join 300 passionate builders for hands-on problem solving, rapid prototyping, and creative experimentation at the intersection of AI and real-world impact. This is your chance to push boundaries and build something meaningful. Apply now to secure your spot!
ai+careers
Explore the future of work at the ai+careers area of SCSP's AI+ Expo—a dedicated space for navigating the evolving intersection of AI, talent, and opportunity. Whether you're looking to level up your career or better understand how AI is shaping the workforce, this space brings together a variety of resources and experiences, including:
Talent Marketplace: Hosted by ClearanceJobs: Meet and interview with industry, academia, and government. Attendees can build a profile in the Cvent app to access on-site interviews, resume reviews, career coaching, and networking opportunities.
ai+careers Stage: Join live conversations on how AI and other emerging technologies is transforming work, education, and more, featuring voices from tech, policy, academia, and beyond.
Interactive Booths: Engage with organizations at the forefront of AI and emerging tech innovation.
From practical support to big-picture discussions, ai+careers is your hub for what’s next.
Bookstore
Our dedicated bookstore space will feature engaging book talks, discussions, Q&As with authors and signings. Attendees will be able to purchase copies of books on AI, geopolitics, history and technology, and meet their favorite authors.
Catch up on SCSP’s Newsletter!
This week released our latest paper, Applying AI to Strategic Warning, about how artificial intelligence can transform delivering accurate, timely strategic warning for the Intelligence Community. Make sure to subscribe to never miss a newsletter!
Listen to Memos to the President!
Stay turned for next week’s episode of Memos to the President, where Ylli is joined by India’s Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar.
Also listen to last week’s episode featuring Dr. Anshu Roy, CEO of Rhombus Power! Ylli and Anshu discussed key issues related to national security, including the potential for predictive technologies to support more timely and informed decisions.We continue to highlight experts who help underscore the urgency for this new administration to prioritize key technologies in the tech competition.
Catch up on the episodes on YouTube, where you can find the latest and stay tuned for upcoming episodes!
New Episode of Strait Forward!
China's military pressure on Taiwan is escalating. How is Taiwan responding? Tune into this week’s episode as Fei-Fan Lin, Deputy Secretary-General of Taiwan’s National Security Council, joins hosts Channing Lee and Libby Lange to provide crucial insights into Taiwan's defense strategies. This episode explores Taiwan's multifaceted approach to national security, lessons learned from the Ukraine war, and the importance of societal resilience.
Tune in to NatSec Tech!
Last week, SCSP Chair Dr. Eric Schmidt, joined Jeanne Meserve on NatSec Tech to discuss AI, biotech, and global competition.
You can listen to the full episode below or wherever you get your podcasts:
Coursera Course Now Available!
Check out our course, developed in partnership with Coursera, AI in National Security: Integrating Artificial Intelligence into Public Sector Missions. Over 1,000 people have enrolled!
Our lessons feature a range of AI experts, such as SCSP Chair Eric Schmidt, Andrew Ng, and senior national security leaders, who both demo these tools and explain their importance in operations today. This free, asynchronous course includes hands-on training with screencast examples and prepared worksheet exercises to help learners experiment with these tools on actual use cases.
This course is for everyone - whether you work in the public sector (federal, state, or local government), want to one day work in the public sector, or just want a starting point to understand what AI is and why it matters for the world today. .