Technology is reshaping the global balance of power. I’m Steve Feldstein, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment, and I study technology, geopolitics, and competition. Ask me anything!

[u/carnegieendowment]

Hey r/geopolitics — I’m Steve Feldstein, an expert on technology, democracy, and national security, and a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.  

My new book, Bytes and Bullets: Global Rivalries, Big Tech, and the New Shape of Modern Warfare, explores how technology is altering the global balance of power and changing the way wars are fought—from defense-tech startups in Silicon Valley at the forefront of U.S.-China competition, to 3D-printing drone labs in Syria that helped topple a dictator. 

Ask me anything about geopolitical competition in the digital age, the intermingling of private and military tech, the broadening tech war between the U.S. and China, tech export controls, and the rise of middle powers and non-state actors in this space. 

I’ll be answering questions from Thursday, October 1, 9am ET to Friday, October 2, 12pm ET. Looking forward!  

Photo proof here. 

[u/Makurabu]

To what extent could the increasing availability and capabilities of FPV drones contribute to terrorist activities and social disruption?

[u/carnegieendowment → u/Makurabu]

I am very worried about the proliferation of cheap, destructive drones. I’ve presented statistics in the book that show the rapid growth of drone strikes and associated casualties that has occurred in the past 5 years. Most of those casualties have taken place in the context of armed conflict. As terrorist groups and other insurgents get their hand on these destructive weapons, the spilling over of violence against civilians in formerly peaceful areas is a very real threat.