CONTESTED GROUND: The information advantage – how AI is reshaping influence, competition and power

Information has always shaped power and influence – but in the age of artificial intelligence, the speed, scale and sophistication with which narratives can be created and deployed has changed dramatically. In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson explore how the tradecraft of information warfare is increasingly intersecting with the commercial world, and why influence, narrative and information advantages are becoming critical strategic capabilities for modern businesses. They unpack the parallels – and important differences – between military information operations and commercial competition, from shaping perceptions and gaining decision superiority to defending against misinformation and responding to crises at speed. With AI now enabling highly targeted content to be created in hours rather than weeks, Tarrant and Thompson examine what this means for business leaders, why communications can no longer be left solely to marketing teams, and why organisations need the people, systems and strategy to compete in an information environment moving faster than ever before.