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Description
The human brain is becoming a consequential arena of strategic competition. This commentary looks at how cognitive warfare draws on the neural processes underlying perception, emotion, trust, identity, judgment, and decision-making to influence individual and collective behavior. It describes how existing beliefs, biases, social affiliations, and information environments shape the way people interpret and respond to competing narratives, making natural cognitive processes potential targets for exploitation. Dr. Giordano and Dr. Schmidle trace how advances in neuroscience, artificial intelligence, big-data analytics, neurotechnology, and behavioral modeling are expanding the ability to assess and potentially influence cognition. Particular attention is given to population neuroanalytics, synthetic cognitive modeling, brain-computer interfaces, and the shift from broad persuasion toward more precise forms of influence. These capabilities may support strategic forecasting and defense, but they also raise significant ethical, legal, and national-security concerns. Arguing that cognitive security should become a central component of national security, this piece proposes an interdisciplinary Department of War research enterprise focused on cognitive vulnerabilities, resilience, human-AI teaming, adversarial neurotechnology, effects assessment, and responsible governance. They add recommendations for a joint cognitive-security center, a national neurotechnology intelligence program, a secure cognitive-security data architecture, a cognitive-resilience initiative, and a sustained neurostrategic research portfolio.
Document Type
Article
Topic(s)
Emerging Science and Technologies, Information Operations, Strategic Competition
Publication Date
8-24-2026
Publisher
Institute for National Strategic Studies
City
Washington, D.C.
Keywords
cognitive warfare, cognitive security, neurostrategic competition, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, neurotechnology, population neuroanalytics, synthetic cognitive modeling, cognitive resilience, influence operations
Author ORCID Identifier
Recommended Citation
Giordano, James and Schmidle, Robert, "Cognitive Warfare and the Brain-as-Battlespace: Neuroscience, Artificial Intelligence, and the Emerging Domain of Neurostrategic Competition" (2026). Strategic Insights. 64.
https://digitalcommons.ndu.edu/strategic-insights/64
