About the Author
Bill Drexel is a former fellow with
the Technology and National Security
Program at the Center for a New
American Security (CNAS). His work
focuses on Sino-American competition, articial
intelligence (AI), and technology as an element of
American grand strategy. Previously, Drexel worked on
humanitarian innovation at the United Nations and on
Indo-Pacic aairs at the American Enterprise Institute.
Always seeking on-the-ground exposure, Drexel served
as a rescue boat driver during Libya’s migration crisis;
conducted investigative research in the surveillance
state of Xinjiang, China; and supported humanitarian
data eorts across wartime Ukraine. He holds a BA from
Yale University and master’s degrees from Cambridge
and Tsinghua universities.
Acknowledgments
The author is grateful to Prof. Ben Hurlbut and Dr. Zack
Cooper for their valuable feedback and suggestions on
earlier drafts of this report and to Dr. Paul Scharre,
Vivek Chilukuri, Jacob Stokes, and Hannah Kelley, who
all provided further useful inputs. This report would not
have been possible without contributions from CNAS
colleagues, including Morgan Peirce, Melody Cook,
Maura McCarthy, Emma Swislow, Caroline Steel, Allison
Francis, Jake Penders, Janet Egan, Josh Wallin, Michael
Depp, and Noah Greene. This report was made possible
with the generous support of Fathom and DALHAP
Investments Ltd (via The RAND Corporation). The views
expressed in this document are those of the authors and
do not necessarily reect RAND opinion.
As a research and policy institution committed to the
highest standards of organizational, intellectual, and
personal integrity, CNAS maintains strict intellectual
independence and sole editorial direction and control
over its ideas, projects, publications, events, and other
research activities. CNAS does not take institutional
positions on policy issues, and the content of CNAS
publications reects the views of their authors alone.
In keeping with its mission and values, CNAS does not
engage in lobbying activity and complies fully with all
applicable federal, state, and local laws. CNAS will not
engage in any representational activities or advocacy
on behalf of any entities or interests and, to the extent
that the Center accepts funding from non-U.S. sources,
its activities will be limited to bona de scholastic,
academic, and research-related activities, consistent
with applicable federal law. The Center publicly
acknowledges on its website annually all donors who
contribute.
About the Technology and National
Security Program
The CNAS Technology and National Security Program
explores the policy challenges associated with emerging
technologies. A key focus of the program is bringing
together the technology and policy communities to
better understand these challenges and together
develop solutions.
About the Articial Intelligence
Safety & Stability Project
The CNAS AI Safety & Stability Project is a multiyear,
multiprogram eort that addresses the established and
emerging risks associated with articial intelligence.
The work is focused on anticipating and mitigating
catastrophic AI failures, improving the U.S. Department
of Defense’s processes for AI testing and evaluation,
understanding and shaping opportunities for compute
governance, understanding Chinese decision-making on
AI and stability, and understanding Russian decision-
making on AI and stability.
