The 71st Bilderberg Meeting, an annual private conference that brings together about 130 of the most influential figures from politics, finance, industry, and academia from Europe and North America, concluded on June 15, 2025. According to the officially published agenda and reports from global media outlets, including The Guardian and Reuters, a key topic for discussion this year was "Artificial Intelligence, Deterrence, and National Security." The inclusion of this topic on the Bilderberg agenda is itself a significant signal to the world. It indicates that the impact of AI on global security, military doctrines, and geopolitical stability has reached the highest level of discussion among the Western political and business elite. Although the details of the discussions traditionally remain strictly confidential as the meeting operates under the Chatham House Rule (participants can use the information received, but cannot disclose the identity or affiliation of the speaker(s)), experts believe that pressing issues such as Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS), the risks of unintentional conflict escalation due to the speed of AI systems, the use of AI in cyber and information warfare, and the challenges of maintaining strategic deterrence in a new technological era were discussed. The very fact that AI is now considered alongside traditional national security issues speaks to the deep awareness among world leaders of its transformative power and associated existential risks. This may foreshadow an intensification in the development of international norms and regulations for the military application of AI in the near future.
AI and National Security Became a Key Topic at the 71st Bilderberg Meeting
