On November 6, 2025, the second edition of the CNTR Moni­tor on techno­logical trends and arms con­trol was published. The open-access publi­cation, entitled “New Realities of AI in Global Security,” summa­rizes the research fin­dings of the Cluster for Natural and Tech­nical Science Arms Con­trol Research (CNTR) and provides recommen­dations for dealing with new techno­logies and develop­ments in the natural sciences. In line with PRIF’s multi-level trans­fer strate­gy, dis­cussions with stake­holders from politics, science, civil society, and the media took place in Berlin on Novem­ber 6 and 7 to mark the publi­cation.

The offi­cial launch of CNTR Moni­tor 2025 took place on the mor­ning of Novem­ber 6 at the Ger­man Foreign Office, which had provi­ded initial funding to enable the clus­ter to be estab­lished and continues to fund the project until 2027. The researchers explained the key findings from the report, which focuses on the impact of AI in global security. As a cross-cutting theme of the cluster, AI touches on the work of all three research groups: Chemical and Biological Weapons Control, Emerging Disruptive Technologies, and Science for Nuclear Diplomacy. In addition, the researchers presented findings and recommendations for action on other technological trends such as drones, new reactor technologies, and developments in biotechnology. In the subsequent dis­cussion, depart­ment represen­tatives, division heads, and officials from the Federal Foreign Office were able to ask ques­tions and comment. In the spirit of dialogical know­ledge transfer, the aim was to pre­sent results on the one hand and to gather ideas for fur­ther research work by the CNTR on the other.

Following this, the project team met with Member of Parliament Sara Nanni and staff members of the Bündnis90/Die Grünen parliamentary group, as well as with Ralf Stegner, SPD, Chair of the Subcommittee on Arms Control and Proliferation Control, Non-Proliferation, and International Disarmament, at the German Bundestag.

In addition, PRIF hosted a public eve­ning event at the Reinhardt­straßenhöfe as part of Berlin Science Week 2025 on the topic of “Artificial Intelli­gence, War, and Control – What is Hype, What is Real Danger?” Mode­rated by Elisabeth Waczek and in­formed by the newly pub­lished CNTR Monitor, Andrea Lübcke (Member of the German Bundes­tag, Alliance 90/The Greens), Thorsten Wetz­ling (Head of the Digital Rights, Sur­veillance and Democracy Research Unit, Inter­face), and Malte Göttsche and Niklas Schörnig from CNTR dis­cussed how AI is changing se­curity policy realities.

The two-day program con­cluded on the mor­ning of Novem­ber 7 with a meeting with the Depart­ment for Arms Con­trol, OSCE, Arms Exports, and Arms Export Con­trol of the Federal Minis­try of Defense. The discussion focused in particular on the geopolitical dimension of chip production, the military use of AI, drones, and dual-use risks posed by AI in the fields of biology and chemistry. Possible opportunities offered by AI for arms control were also a key topic, particularly its use in verification.

The CNTR pro­ject team would like to thank all its dis­cussion partners over the past few days for their interest and pro­ductive exchange.

The CNTR Moni­tor 2025 “New Realities of AI in Glo­bal Security” is an open-access publi­cation available in Ger­man and English. It can be read and down­loaded at monitor.cntrarmscontrol.org.