Today (2/19) at 1:45 pm EST - Decision Time: AI and our Nuclear Arsenal
Ellen Thomas
Virtual Event
Decision Time: AI and our Nuclear Arsenal
Thursday, February 19, 2026
12:45 p.m. Central / 1:45 p.m. Eastern
Command and control of nuclear weapons is a delicate and complicated system, designed to prevent error while ensuring reliability under high-pressure conditions. In environments where vast amounts of data shape high-stakes outcomes, artificial intelligence has become a natural consideration.
The integration of a rapidly evolving technology raises fundamental questions about responsibility, data quality, and system reliability. When a single error could have irreversible consequences, how can confidence be built around the integration of machine learning into systems that have long relied on human judgment and oversight? What guardrails should be maintained? Where are there opportunities for international collaboration and consensus?
Join the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and the Outrider Foundation as a group of experts examine the current state of AI in nuclear command and control, identify where the greatest risks reside, and explore the policies that must be considered now to govern this technology in the years ahead.
