HSNW: What is the role of AI (artificial intelligence) in applied intelligence?
Lemieux: In conjunction with the previous answer, I would argue that artificial intelligence will become central to big data analytics. Intelligence agencies, law enforcement organizations and corporation are relying increasingly on “intelligent systems and tools” to discover complex pattern hiding in a sea of information. More importantly, the artificial intelligence will certainly play an important role in extracting real-time meaning regarding emerging threats patterns or disruption in existing patterns. The concept of “big data intelligence” is becoming more popular among decision-makers that are looking for strategic actionable insights. The combination of big data and artificial intelligence is already becoming a disruptive innovation in the field of applied intelligence.
HSNW: One of the courses in the Master’s Program says students will be taught to “move beyond biases”: How does one move beyond one’s biases – or the built-in biases of his or her culture and language?
Lemieux: The master of professional studies in applied intelligence offers a course titled “Psychology of Applied Intelligence” and aims at identifying many of the logical errors and fallacies that are the byproduct of our human nature or organizational culture. The approach is to make students aware of biases that interfere with the formulation of intelligence requirements (hypothesis) as well as analysis and application of findings (recommendation/actionable insights). Then they learn how to employed properly structured techniques to conduct more objective analysis and prevent the interference of biases. They also learn how to deal with internal and external political pressure when come the time to design intelligence operations, analyze findings and provide recommendation. As you know, many security issues are too often politicized and analysts must understand and weight the ethical as well as professional implications of such pressure.
HSNW: Several courses emphasize the need for students to learn how to assess and evaluate risks “objectively”: But is it not the case that organizations and societies are not objective and detached about the risks they are willing to assume? For example, a democratic, open society would be more willing to accept the risks of terrorism in order to preserve civil liberties. Would the role of the Master’s Program graduates involve advising political (and business) leaders about values and goals, or just focus on the means to implement pre-determined goals?
Lemieux: Very good question. First, it is important to make some conceptual distinctions. In fact, “objectivity” can be defined as absolute or relative. By “absolute objectivity” we are talking about the risk vis-à-vis itself. To borrow from your example, terrorism is an unacceptable socio-political phenomenon because it results [consequences] in loss of lives and political disruption. However, terrorism risk must also be analyzed against other threats and be put in relation with other consequences – for instance the preservation of civil liberties and fundamental democratic values. This particular evaluation is the type of ethical dilemmas our students will be discussing in class. But terrorism is not the only threat the United States is facing, organized crime and cyber criminals are also generating a great deal of harm to our society and their occurrence is far more significant than terrorism. So, the question of objectivity of risk assessment is to be able to carefully determine (absolutely and relatively) what should be the priority in a world where government agencies have competing interests and limited resources. Our students will be formed in weighting several factors of multifaceted security risk in order to provide the most objective judgment on the course of action to be taken.
HSNW: A course on Global Competitive Intelligence aims to teach the students to “dispassionately interpret events in a global perspective.” What do the words “global perspective” mean in this context?
Lemieux: The course on global competitive intelligence prepares students to develop a higher awareness of the impact of globalization of business performance. Because of the creation of common market spaces such as North America (NAFTA), Europe (Euro Zone), and soon Asia (ASEAN), the performance of businesses can be impacted positively and negatively depending on what other “players” are doing (state and non-state actors). For instance, a government can decide to change regulations regarding tariffs on import limiting access to an important national market or a foreign company may receive government support (tax break, subsidies) that will increase its level of competitiveness worldwide. Also, a large-scale disaster happening abroad (e.g., nuclear incident in Japan in 2011) may impact several businesses in the U.S. food supply chain. Finally, our students would be able to analyze the impact of Brexit on U.S.business sectors in terms of economic opportunities and financial disadvantages.
HSNW: Thomas Kuhn, in his The Structure of Scientific Revolution, develops the notion of “normal science,” which is conducted within an accepted scientific paradigm, and “revolutionary science,” which aims to shatter and replace the existing paradigm. Many policy mistakes and lack of preparedness for nasty surprises are the result of smart and capable analysts working efficiently within the existing paradigm. The big question about the Georgetown Applied Intelligence Master’s Program is this: Does the program train people to work intelligently and effectively within the accepted paradigm – or does it train them to be able to think outside the paradigm (or the box)?
Lemieux: The response is both. To think outside of the box, we have to make sure our students understand very well what is inside of the box in the first place. They have to comprehend what are the limits of the paradigm in which they evolve to be able to truly think outside of the box. To achieve that, we are forming students on existing and best analytical practices in the fields of homeland security, law enforcement and competitive business intelligence taught by acknowledge experts in the field. Then, when these practices are well internalized, we expose students to complex issues that require a multidisciplinary approach using indicators from many disciplines and analytical techniques pertaining to other industry sectors. In addition, the program allows, for example, students with law enforcement intelligence background to take courses in the competitive business intelligence concentration, in which they will certainly learn how to apply new analytical approaches and discover new tools that will make them think outside the box.
This interview with Frederic Lemieux was previously published in March 2017.
