Valley of Death: Silicon Valley, the Military-Industrial Complex, and the Future of American Power

Silicon Valley and the U.S. national security establishment were once unlikely partners. Yet over decades, the Pentagon and intelligence agencies helped lay the foundations for the technology industry, and today a new generation of tech companies — including SpaceX, Palantir, and Anduril — is playing an increasingly central role in American defense and intelligence.

In Valley of Death, veteran national security correspondent Sharon Weinberger draws on deep reporting to trace the evolution of this relationship and examine how the balance of power between Washington and Silicon Valley has fundamentally shifted.

Join Weinberger and Jonathan Guyer, Program Director at the Institute for Global Affairs at the Eurasia Group, for a conversation about the rise of the new military-industrial complex and what it means for American democracy and global security. As technology companies move beyond supplying software and services to developing weapons, shaping military strategy, and influencing national security policy, what happens when decisions once controlled by elected governments increasingly depend on powerful private companies and their billionaire leaders? And how might this transformation change the way the United States wages — and decides to wage — war? Weinberger and Guyer will explore the opportunities, risks, and democratic challenges posed by this new era of American power.

This program is part of 92NY Recanati-Kaplan Talks.

Newmark Civic Life Series event and Take9, a public service cybersecurity campaign to help protect our nations security created by Craig Newmark Philanthropy

Supported by Craig Newmark Philanthropies in association with Take9, a cybersecurity awareness initiative promoting safer online practices to strengthen our nation’s security

An initiative of the 92NY Belfer Center for Innovation and Social Impact.