Alumni,
Analysis

Margarita Konaev

Deputy Director of Analysis and Research Fellow Print Bio

Dr. Margarita Konaev was Deputy Director of Analysis and a Research Fellow at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) interested in military applications of AI and Russian military innovation. She is also an Adjunct Senior Fellow with the Center for a New American Security. Previously, she was a Non-Resident Fellow with the Modern War Institute at West Point, a post-doctoral fellow at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perry World House. Before joining CSET, she worked as a Senior Principal in the Marketing and Communications practice at Gartner.

Margarita’s research on international security, armed conflict, non-state actors and urban warfare in the Middle East, Russia and Eurasia has been published by the Journal of Strategic Studies, the Journal of Global Security Studies, Conflict Management and Peace Science, the French Institute of International Relations, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Lawfare, War on the Rocks, Modern War Institute, Foreign Policy Research Institute and a range of other outlets. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame, an M.A. in Conflict Resolution from Georgetown University and a B.A. from Brandeis University.

Related Content

In an article published by the Associated Press exploring the rivalry between the U.S. and China in military planning, particularly focusing on a new form of warfare utilizing swarms of air and sea drones equipped… Read More

In an article published by TIME, Rita Konaev provided her expert insights on the involvement of tech giants in the Russia-Ukraine War. Read More

In their op-ed featured in Foreign Affairs, CSET’s Margarita Konaev and Owen J. Daniels shared their expert analysis in an op-ed published by Foreign Affairs. The op-ed delves into Ukraine's summer counteroffensive against Russia and… Read More

Translation

한국 AI 생태계 분석

August 2023

This is a Korean translation of the August 2023 CSET Data Brief "Assessing South Korea's AI Ecosystem."… Read More

This data brief examines South Korea’s progress in its development of artificial intelligence. The authors find that the country excels in semiconductor manufacturing, is a global leader in the production of AI patents, and is… Read More

This data brief uses procurement records published by the U.S. Department of Defense and China’s People’s Liberation Army between April and November of 2020 to assess, and, where appropriate, compare what each military is buying… Read More

Drawing from prior CSET research, this blog post describes different domestic and international initiatives the Chinese government and companies are pursuing to shore up investment in AI and meet China’s strategic objectives, as well as… Read More

Two CSET researchers are coauthors for a new multi-organization report about the safety of AI systems led by OpenAI and the Berkeley Risk and Security Lab. The report, published on arXiv, identified six confidence-building measures… Read More

China’s government has pushed the country’s technology and financial firms to expand abroad, and Southeast Asia’s growing economies — and AI companies — offer promising opportunities. This report examines the scope and nature of Chinese… Read More

Analysis

Quad AI

May 2022

Through the Quad forum, the United States, Australia, Japan and India have committed to pursuing an open, accessible and secure technology ecosystem and offering a democratic alternative to China’s techno-authoritarian model. This report assesses artificial… Read More

In an opinion piece for Foreign Policy, CSET's Margarita Konaev describes Russia's overestimation of its own capabilities while underestimating the difficulties of urban warfare during its invasion of Ukraine. Read More

Data Brief

Trends in Robotics Patents

November 2021

Advances in robotics technology are having a transformative effect on how people work, travel, communicate, and fight wars. This data brief provides an overview of global trends in robotics patents between 2005 and 2019, focusing… Read More

Analysis

Headline or Trend Line?

August 2021

Chinese and Russian government officials are keen to publicize their countries’ strategic partnership in emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence. This report evaluates the scope of cooperation between China and Russia as well as relative trends… Read More

Analysis

The Path of Least Resistance

April 2021

As multinational collaboration on emerging technologies takes center stage, U.S. allies and partners must overcome the technological, bureaucratic, and political barriers to working together. This report assesses the challenges to multinational collaboration and explains how… Read More

CSET Research Fellow Margarita Konaev and Research Analyst Husanjot Chahal discuss research gaps on trust in human-machine teaming and how to build trustworthy AI systems for military systems and missions. Read More

Analysis

Trusted Partners

February 2021

As the U.S. military integrates artificial intelligence into its systems and missions, there are outstanding questions about the role of trust in human-machine teams. This report examines the drivers and effects of such trust, assesses… Read More

Research from a CSET survey reveals that AI professionals are more willing to work with the U.S. military than originally perceived. Read More

National security leaders view AI as a priority technology for defending the United States. This two-part analysis is intended to help policymakers better understand the scope and implications of U.S. military investment in autonomy and… Read More

This brief examines how the Pentagon’s investments in autonomy and AI may affect its military capabilities and strategic interests. It proposes that DOD invest in improving its understanding of trust in human-machine teams and leverage… Read More

The Pentagon has a wide range of research and development programs using autonomy and AI in unmanned vehicles and systems, information processing, decision support, targeting functions, and other areas. This policy brief delves into the… Read More

Today’s research and development investments will set the course for artificial intelligence in national security in the coming years. This Executive Summary presents key findings and recommendations from CSET’s two-part analysis of U.S. military investments… Read More

Analysis

Russian AI Research 2010-2018

October 2020

Over the last decade, Moscow has boosted funding of universities and implemented reforms in order to make Russia a global leader in AI. As part of that effort, Russian researchers have expanded their English-language publication… Read More

Margarita Konaev weighs in on the future military environment on "The Convergence" podcast, drawing from her experience in emerging technologies, military applications of artificial intelligence, and urban warfare in the Middle East, Russia, and Eurasia. Read More

On October 10th, 2019, Russia released its national artificial intelligence strategy. Margarita Konaev analyzed the strategy in the context of Moscow's larger strategic vision. Read More

Rita Konaev, Research Fellow at CSET, writes, “AI’s potential to improve wartime decision-making through real-time actionable intelligence can help reduce the risk of casualties, fratricide, and collateral damage in urban warfare.”… Read More

Rita Konaev, Research Fellow at CSET writes with Samuel Bendett that “when it comes to military applications of artificial intelligence, overlooking Russia is a mistake.” In this article, they analyze Russia’s current and potential future… Read More