This year's National Security Symposium was co-sponsored by the National Security Institute at George Mason University and the Federalist Society and took place on Thursday, June 23rd in Washington, DC. The theme of this year's symposium was Next Generation National Security and featured panels on cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence and their relation to national security. The symposium attracted 90 in-person attendees, and many more attended virtually. 

Matthew Heiman, the chairman of the International & National Security Law practice group executive committee, opened the symposium with welcoming remarks. The crypto panel included Gus Coldebella, William Hughes, Dr. Oonagh McDonald, and Hon. Juan Zarate, and was moderated by Eric Kadel. This very timely panel discussed the various threats and potential benefits digital currencies may pose, and whether and how the U.S. could develop policies on digital assets that both protect and encourage freedom and payment security while maintaining safety from bad actors. Please check out the recording here.

The second panel on artificial intelligence included Prof. Claire Finkelstein, Ramon Marks, Admiral Mark Montgomery, and Prof. Jeremy Rabkin, and was moderated by Jamil Jaffer. This panel addressed the national security ramifications of scaling AI developments. You can check out the recording here.

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