CMU's home for Political Science and International Relations, CMIST is an interdisciplinary institute that works across Carnegie Mellon University to tackle the risks and benefits of emerging technologies in war and peace.
At CMIST we address the challenges of new and emerging technologies through a political science lens.
New Publication
Carnegie Mellon researchers Harry Krejsa of CMIST and Dr. Thomas Şerban von Davier of SEI have released their latest white paper, Agents of Change: Rapid Shifts in AI Economics Are Redefining How Agentic Systems Are Built, Powered, and Deployed. Exploring the emergence of AI agents and the economic shifts driving cheaper model development across the tech industry, this paper also uncovers the intricate dynamic between AI, energy, and China, suggesting it's more complex than headlines imply. To avoid past internet pitfalls, the industry is already championing open-source and interoperable frameworks for the burgeoning agent economy, though government support is essential for their effective implementation, broad acceptance, and sustained research.
Recent Work
Beyond Threats: How Allies and Bureaucratic Competition Shape the Initial Development of Military Cyber Capabilities
By Nadiya Kostyuk
Framing the Exit: Pollsters, Public Opinion, and the Politics of Military Withdrawal
By Daniel Silverman and Caitlan Fealing
The Washington Post
The Unlikely Partners Who Could Recharge U.S. Battery Production
By Harry Krejsa and Sarah Hipel
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
The Greene Revolution: How Politicians Benefit from Conspiracies About Cloud Seeding and Weather Control
By Justin Key Canfil
Foreign Affairs
What Drones Can—and Cannot—Do on the Battlefield
By Michael C. Horowitz, Lauren A. Kahn, and Joshua A. Schwartz
RealClearEnergy
AI Power Demand Is Remaking Our Energy Ecosystem – While Painting a Target on Its Back
By Harry Krejsa and Mark Montgomery
Team of Teams
Public Engagements
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Date
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Event
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Speaker(s)
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Tues, 08/26/2025
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Scientists & Strategists - AI and National Security: The History and Future of Emerging Technology and Cybersecurity in Conflict | Brigadier General (Ret.) Greg Touhill and Mieke Eoyang |
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Tues, 09/30/2025
5pm
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General (Ret.) Laura Richardson and MInister Paula Bogantes Zamora
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5pm
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Thurs, 10/23/2025
5pm
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Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholars Program Event - Academic Freedom: From Professional Norm to First Amendment Right |
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Additional details & registration coming soon.