Wilson Center

10/02/2026

The next frontier in the U.S.-China technology competition may be physical AI. As world models help robots learn and interact with the physical world, advances in the technology are creating new opportunities and new challenges.

In his latest analysis, Research Fellow Sunny Cheung examines China’s progress in world models, the dual-use risks of the technology, and why the United States needs a stronger strategy for measuring and securing these emerging systems.

09/30/2026

Syria’s removal from key sanctions regimes has opened new possibilities for economic reintegration and reconstruction, but significant barriers to foreign investment remain.

In her latest analysis, Distinguished Fellow Jill Jermano examines the financial, regulatory, and security risks that could continue to shape Syria’s recovery and what will be needed to attract sustained investment. Read more:

While the lifting of Western sanctions has paved the way for Syria's economic reintegration and reconstruction following the fall of the Assad regime, money laundering, terrorism financing, drug trafficking, corruption, and other structural risks continue to deter the foreign investment required for...

09/28/2026

How can Congress balance the protection of the American public from AI risks while still committing to the promotion of innovation?

In his latest analysis, Visiting Fellow Michael Frank outlines three policies for Congress to consider addressing AI safety interests.

Michael Frank proposes three measures on AI safety that Congress can take to protect the public while promoting innovation and avoiding regulatory capture from the major labs.

09/21/2026

Newly declassified CIA records offer a closer look at how Osama bin Laden built al-Qaeda through a decentralized network of partnerships, financing, and relationships that extended far beyond the organization itself.

In his latest analysis, Visiting Fellow Javid Ahmad examines what the files reveal about al-Qaeda’s structure and how Bin Laden’s partnership model continues to shape terrorist threats today.

Newly declassified CIA records reveal that Osama Bin Laden not only built al-Qaeda as an intelligence-style network reliant on strategic partnerships and illicit financing, but that he also established a decentralized operational model that continues to shape modern terrorist threats today.

09/17/2026

From the century old Central American and Caribbean Games to the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, sporting events have provided a lasting platform for cooperation across the Western Hemisphere.

Visiting Fellow Luisa Blanco examines the economic and diplomatic connections created through regional athletic competition and what these longstanding institutions can teach us about the future of cooperation in the Americas.

For a century, sporting competitions such as the Central American and Caribbean Games have created opportunities for countries across the Americas to come together through shared competition, investment, and people-to-people diplomacy.

09/16/2026

The 2027–2028 Wilson Center Research Fellowship will begin in June 2027, bringing together a new cohort of scholars, practitioners, journalists, and public intellectuals to pursue policy-relevant research.

If you are interested in conducting research at the Wilson Center and engaging with policymakers and fellow researchers, there are 2 weeks left to submit your application.

Learn more and apply:
www.wilsoncenter.org/article/wilson-center-opens-competition-2027-2028-research-fellowships

09/16/2026

In her latest piece for the Wilson Center, Visting Fellow Luisa Blanco explores the corn trade between the United States and Mexico and its implications for USMCA negotiations.

Driven by comparative advantages and USMCA frameworks, the deeply integrated US–Mexico agricultural trade features complementary exchanges, such as US corn exports and Mexican fresh produce imports, that endure despite ongoing regulatory disputes over genetically modified crops.

09/14/2026

China's global influence extends beyond its economic and military power. How might the United States be underestimating the ways China is shaping the world?

In this video, Research Fellow Leland Lazarus examines three areas where China's global influence may be underestimated, from its appeal in the Global South and advances in artificial intelligence to its growing connections with criminal networks abroad.

09/11/2026

25 years ago, the September 11 attacks reshaped U.S. foreign policy, influencing where diplomats served, how alliances operated, and the priorities that defined American engagement abroad.

Read how this transformation shaped the careers and experiences of Wilson Center fellows, and how they reflect on U.S. foreign policy after 9/11.

On the twenty-fifth anniversary of 9/11, Wilson Center fellows share personal reflections on how the terrorist attacks transformed American national security and redirected the path of their professional lives.

09/09/2026

One year after the launch of America’s AI Action Plan, the administration has made significant progress in putting its recommendations into motion, but important work still remains.

In this article, Visiting Fellow Michael Frank examines the implementation of the plan’s 103 recommendations across innovation, infrastructure, and diplomacy and security, highlighting where the administration has moved from policy goals to concrete programs and where implementation still depends on infrastructure, investment, coordination, and congressional action. Read more:

One year after its launch, America’s AI Action Plan has prompted widespread federal administrative activity, with a majority of its 103 recommendations seeing progress, though tangible delivery in infrastructure, energy, procurement, and international exports remains ongoing.