The Country's First 'Cognitive Advantage' Chief: Influence Is the New Battlefield

"What, exactly, does a Director of Cognitive Advantage do? It's not a title most Americans encounter, and it sits far outside the familiar contours of diplomacy, military force, or economic leverage. But as Chenoweth explains, the contest for influence no longer stays neatly within those lanes either. His focus is often on the gray space - where information, perception, culture, and behavior collide, and where adversaries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are operating with staggering resources and strategic focus."

"In this Cipher Brief conversation, Chenoweth breaks down how cognitive operations actually work, why the U.S. has struggled to keep pace, and what it means to give the President an "information option" that's not simply kinetic or economic. He offers rare, candid insight into how technology, AI, and social platforms-from TikTok to algorithmically driven personas-are reshaping the battlespace faster than policymakers can write doctrine."

"DIME, is broken down into Diplomatic, Information, Military and Economic, and it's very clear who owns the Diplomatic, Military, and Economic components. But there hasn't been, at least in several decades, a good example of where people have really come to the president and the administration with an "I" option, for Information."

The Director of Cognitive Advantage develops and coordinates information strategies operating in the gray space where information, perception, culture, and behavior intersect. The role provides an information option for the President alongside diplomatic, military, and economic tools. The director focuses on countering state adversaries such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea who invest heavily in cognitive campaigns. The role analyzes how technology, AI, and algorithmic social platforms reshape the battlespace faster than doctrine can adapt. The position prioritizes integrated, nonkinetic measures, whole-of-government coordination, and rapid doctrine development to protect national resilience and influence outcomes.

Read at The Cipher Brief