Five ways increased militarization could change scientific careers

"Just two countries, China and the United States, accounted for almost half of the total. At their two-day summit in June 2025, all but one of the 32 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries agreed to spend 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence and security by 2035, in response to "profound security threats and challenges" - chiefly perceived threats from Russia and from terrorism."

"Spain, for example, which opted out of the 5% target, has called for a broader view of defence spending, to encompass areas such as quantum computing. What impact, if any, will defence-spending pledges have on research budgets? Some scholars who work on science funding, defence and peace, such as Lucy Suchman, a technology-focused sociologist at Lancaster University, UK, say that certain scientific fields could benefit (such as artificial intelligence) but others lose out (such as climate science) as funding priorities shift increasingly towards militarization."

Global military spending reached U$2.7 trillion in 2024, a 9.4% real-term increase over the previous year, with China and the United States accounting for nearly half. At a June 2025 summit, 31 of 32 NATO members agreed to aim for defence and security spending equal to 5% of GDP by 2035, citing perceived threats from Russia and terrorism. A 5% target would represent a large escalation; UK military spending at that level would equal half of NHS spending. Nations can count areas such as R&D within defence budgets. Some scholars warn that defence-focused priorities may boost fields like artificial intelligence while reducing funding for areas such as climate science. Cross-country analysis found higher defence spending linked to fewer trademark applications and declines in R&D personnel, and in many cases increased defence outlays accompany reduced spending on other research.

Read at Nature