Abstract
The high-technology sector has become crucial in the production of the emerging digital infrastructure that underlies modern warfare. Yet, its role has often been overlooked within International Relations and security studies. Our research project investigates the growing role of the high-tech sector in warfare to understand how commercial technology companies are shaping use of force practices and with what effects for civilian harm, public accountability and democratic control. Our novel approach is to understand and theorize the power of these companies to shape new practices in warfare through the concept of the "military-commercial complex" and focus on the concrete interactions between the military and the high-tech sector. Investigating these practices and interactions in concrete settings of technology development and deployment across the innovation and operational context of NATO, our project delivers original data on how new military technologies are made and made actionable in recent theaters of war. Working together with civilian society partners, our project also delivers unique insights into the impact of these technologies for civilian harm and democratic accountability. These insights will lead to a set of recommendations on the development and deployment of new technologies in warfare that will be shared among NATO, civil society partners, industry, lawyers and parliamentarians.
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