The U.S. is in the Midst of a Perfect ‘Cognitive Warfare’ Storm

The Dangerous Convergence of Cognitive Warfare, AI, and the Chaotic Information Environment   

By Dave Pitts

Pitts is a senior national security executive with over four decades of experience ranging from counterterrorism and special operations to regional and global affairs. Pitts served as the Assistant Director of CIA for South and Central Asia and was responsible for all CIA activities and engagement across South and Central Asia and for policy coordination in Washington.

By J.D. Maddox

J.D. Maddox is a political warfare expert. He’s the CEO of Inventive Insights, consulting on strategic communications, and he’s an adjunct professor at Tulane University and George Mason University. He served as a CIA branch chief, deputy coordinator of the U.S. Global Engagement Center, advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and as a U.S. Army Psychological Operations team leader.

During the 2024 Cipher Brief Threat Conference, Dave Pitts joined Brad Christian, Mike Vickers, and Ralph Goff in a discussion about Gray Zone Operations; a term they recognized was lacking in strategic clarity. One topic discussed was the growing threat of “cognitive warfare.”

The authors are focusing here on cognitive warfare as an important strategic element in great power competition, particularly as superpowers increasingly engage in operations just below the level of war.

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