Terms of Reference
The Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) New York Office is seeking a researcher and author for two policy briefs examining how the race for dominance in the artificial intelligence (AI) stack is shaping strategic competition.
The speed of technological change—and in particular AI—is dramatically transforming the international order, the nature of conflict, and where states’ power and leverage lie. Increasingly, AI’s enabling infrastructure, or stack, has emerged as a strategic game-changer, access to which can be used as a coercive tool of statecraft.
In view of the above, the KAS New York Office seeks to develop two policy briefs that will explore:
- How countries are weaponizing access to the various components of the AI stack to their advantage and creating chokepoints of geopolitical influence; and
- How governance and diplomacy can keep apace of rapidly-evolving technologies to implement guardrails on AI-enabled and infrastructure-centered tools of warfare and the conduct of warfare (particularly from a multilateral perspective)
The policy briefs will provide diplomats, policymakers, and security experts with a concise, forward-looking analysis of how geostrategic competition is playing out in the age of the AI stack and how governance can still have traction in a fast-changing domain.
The policy briefs will be published in English (both print and digital versions).
Key Deliverables
The scope of the assignment includes the planning and development of the research design; drafting and revising the policy briefs; and presenting the policy briefs during an in-person event. The policy briefs should not exceed 20 pages in length each.
The expert will be the main discussant during one (1) in-person presentation at the KAS New York Office with the goal to disseminate the findings of the policy briefs among the expert and diplomatic community.
The proposed deadline for finalizing research and submitting a draft for the first policy brief would be by the end of September 2026, and for the second policy brief, the end of October 2026.
Qualifications
The successful candidate should possess the following qualifications:
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A minimum of 10 years’ experience (research, publications, etc.) in the area of artificial intelligence, its security and governance implications, and AI’s intersection with geostrategic competition is required.
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Experience engaging with diverse stakeholder groups on AI is essential, as is presenting original research at conferences and events.
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An advanced degree in a relevant field is required.
Please send your CV and a brief proposal for the policy briefs to Teresa.Val@kas.de by July 31, 2026. Proposals should include:
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Key research questions that anchor each policy brief; and
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A budget breakdown, indicating the number of working days for the briefs and the cost per day (in USD).