A symposium co-hosted by the Centre for Drones and Culture and the Imperial War Museum, London (in-person)

At the Roof Terrace, Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, London, SE1 6HZ

£10 full price / £5 student price

"The international consensus on hybrid warfare is clear: no one understands it, but everyone agrees it is a problem” — The U.K. Ministry of Defence 

Acts of so-called 'hybrid war' have been waged from Mosul to Mariupol, and from the South China Sea to Salisbury. In a day of debate and discussion at IWM London, an acclaimed line-up of speakers will unpack this new concept in our understanding of war and conflict. From social media disinformation to guerrilla tactics to the use of Artificial Intelligence, expert speakers will explore how we should all respond to this new global challenge.

Event Timetable

2:00pm - ARRIVAL & REGISTRATION

2:20pm - WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION

2:30pm - PANEL: 21st CENTURY BATTLEFIELD -  WHAT IS HYBRID WARFARE AND WHY DOES IT MATTER? 
Acts of so-called 'hybrid war' have been waged around the world, but many experts and policymakers still struggle to define what the phenomenon actually is. In this discussion, a panel of leading thinkers will seek to explain what has changed in the last 15 years of global conflict, and why it matters to all of us.

3:30pm - INTERVIEW - THE UKRAINE WAR IN FOCUS
Starting from the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea and subsequent invasion of the Donbas, Ukraine has become one of the world’s most prominent theaters of hybrid warfare, with cyber operations, social media propaganda and ‘little green men’ featuring alongside major conventional operations. So what can Ukraine teach us about hybrid warfare?

4:15pm - COFFEE BREAK

4:30pm - IN CONVERSATION - THE NEW GLOBAL ARMS RACE: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE FUTURE OF CONFLICT
Experts have long warned of the risks of an Artificial Intelligence ‘arms race’, in which global superpowers compete to develop ever more sophisticated AI-powered autonomous weapons. How will AI be used in the battlefields of the future? And how is it already being deployed as part of hybrid warfare in conflicts like Ukraine? Here our speakers will dive deep into this highly controversial and consequential topic for the future of humanity.

5:00pm - PANEL - DRONES, DATA AND DISINFORMATION: HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND TO HYBRID THREATS?
Hybrid warfare poses significant challenges to our societies, from disinformation campaigns undermining civic trust in institutions to sophisticated cyber operations to messy irregular conflicts around the world. So how should governments, businesses, civil society and individuals respond?

6:00pm - END
 

This event is sponsored by the Centre for Drones and Culture and funded by a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (MR/W010429/1).

The IWM Institute is IWM’s research and knowledge exchange hub. We provide access to IWM’s rich collections for research and innovation to increase the public’s understanding of war and conflict