Weapon and Shield: AI in the Age of Tech Conflict
Part of the AI and Us: Rethinking Research, Work, and Society Series
Content
In this talk, Nicholas Butts examines how AI is increasingly used both as an offensive tool and a defensive asset. He explores how an emerging tech cold war is reshaping global technology infrastructure, with far-reaching consequences for security, innovation, and the global economy.
About the Speaker: Nicholas Butts is Director of AI and Cybersecurity Policy at Microsoft, where he leads global efforts to address the adversarial and offensive use of AI, harness AI for cybersecurity defense, and secure AI systems, models, data, and infrastructure. Previously, Nicholas held senior commercial roles at one of Europe’s leading AI startups, developing applied AI solutions for government and national security clients. Outside of Microsoft, Nicholas is a published author and geopolitical analyst. His latest book, Tech Cold War (Lynne Rienner, 2025), explores the intersection of geopolitics and technology and their implications for private-sector actors.