Welcome to the MWI Book Club, a podcast predicated on the idea that a military that reads is a military that wins wars. On this episode, cohosts John Amble and Theo Lipsky read a new account of the rise of artificial intelligence in US military operations: Project Maven: A Marine Colonel, His Team, and the Dawn of AI Warfare, by Katrina Manson.
The book follows a Marine intelligence officer named Drew Cukor through the post-9/11 wars as he encounters troubles with the US military’s intelligence and communications architecture—then seeks to overcome them with artificial intelligence. What emerges is Project Maven. Along the way, the reader gets a panoramic view of conflict in the twenty-firstcentury and US the national security enterprise.
Many questions arise from the Project Maven story: Can the US joint force integrate artificial intelligence into its operations? Should it? What are the best uses of artificial intelligence for military operations? Are any of its promises false? What does it take to change a large bureaucracy? And is such change always worth the cost?
In their close read of the book, John and Theo explore these questions and more. You can listen to the full episode below or find it on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app. While you’re there be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss December’s episode, featuring a discussion about John Steinbeck’s World War II novel The Moon Is Down. And if you’ve enjoyed the first four episodes of the MWI Book Club, please leave a rating or give it a review, which helps new listeners to find the podcast.
Lastly, if you have ideas about what books we should consider next, don’t hesitate to reach out at john.amble@westpoint.edu or theodore.lipsky@westpoint.edu.
