On February 15, the Strauss Center, Clements Center, and the Intelligence Studies Project were pleased to welcome Amy Zegart, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, for a virtual talk on her newly released book “Spies, Lies, and Algorithms: The History and Future of American Intelligence.” Steve Slick, Director of the Intelligence Studies Project, moderated the discussion.

Dr. Zegart presented the first comprehensive book on the past, present, and future of American intelligence—and outlined what’s urgently needed to protect our nation today. Weak intelligence makes us more vulnerable to attacks. Helping the American public better understand these evolving threats is crucial.

Dr. Zegart began the conversation by stating that the US Government is suffering from an acute education crisis regarding intelligence. This problem is only exacerbated by the media, in which intelligence agencies are frequently presented in a morally ambiguous manner. The lack of trust with the American public and the threat of disruptive technological advances are only some of the challenges the Intelligence Community must face. Zegart indicated that our most present issues can be divided into 5 categories, which she calls the “5 mores.” These are more threats, more speed, more data, more customers, and more competitors. She mentioned the relationship between the US government and the private sector has also become strained as issues such as privacy and cybersecurity take center stage. Additionally, open-source information and social media platforms are becoming more weaponized. Zegart recommended that there should be a new agency created just for this issue.

All the aforementioned factors represent a transformative environment for US Intelligence. In the past, changes only occurred after tragic defeats that resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians. Dr. Zegart maintains an optimistic view that the community will be able to adapt to the challenges presented and avert this trend.

Biography

Amy B. Zegart is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, a professor of political science, past co-director of Stanford’s Center for International Security and Cooperation, a contributing writer at The Atlantic, and has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Foreign Affairs. She has previously served as a national security analyst for CNN, MSNBC, Fox News Channel, and National Public Radio. In September 2021, The Atlantic published two pieces by Dr. Zegart on the 20^th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, available here.  Recent broadcast media appearances can be viewed here and here and her full CV here.

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