51cg

The School of Social Science

Dr James Johnson

In this section
Dr James Johnson
Dr James Johnson
Dr James Johnson

Senior Lecturer

51cg
Email Address
james.johnson@abdn.ac.uk
Office Address

Room G23, Edward Wright Building

School/Department
School of Social Science




Biography

James (Jim) Johnson is Senior Lecturer and Director of Strategic Studies at the 51cg and a at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. He is the founding Director of the Strategic Studies Network (SSN). He is also an Honorary Fellow at the University of Leicester, a Non-Resident Research Associate on the European Research Council-funded Towards a Third Nuclear Age Project, and a Mid-Career Cadre with the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Project on Nuclear Issues. He advises the US Department of Defense, NATO’s Nuclear Planning Group, the UK Ministry of Defence, and the Global Commission on Responsible AI in the Military Domain (REAIM) on issues related to AI, nuclear strategy, and emerging technologies. Previously, he served as Assistant Professor at Dublin City University, a Non-Resident Fellow with the Modern War Institute at West Point, and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey, California.

Jim’s research examines the intersection of nuclear weapons, artificial intelligence, political psychology, and strategic affairs, with a particular focus on deterrence, crisis decision-making, and the future of warfare. His work has been published in International Affairs, Review of International Studies, The Journal of Strategic Studies, The Washington Quarterly, The European Journal of International Security, The Pacific Review, The War on the Rocks, and other outlets. He is the author of (OUP, 2024), (OUP, 2023), (MUP, 2021), and (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018). His forthcoming book, Machines at the Brink, examines how AI-enabled decision-support systems are reshaping nuclear deterrence, escalation, and decision-making during international crises.

Memberships and Affiliations

Internal Memberships
  • Director of Strategic Studies
  • Social Sciences PG Committee, Member
  • Social Sciences Research Committee, Member
  • PIR PG Staff Student Liaison Committee, Member
  • PIR PG Exam Board Committee, Member
  • Personal Tutor
External Memberships
  • Visiting Scholar, Harvard Kennedy School, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
  • Honorary Visiting Fellow, University of Leicester
  • Non-Resident Associate, "The Towards a Third Nuclear Age: Strategic Conventional Weapons and the Next Revolution in the Global Nuclear Order," European Research Council (ERC) funded project
  • Mid-Career Cadre, Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), Project on Nuclear Issues
  • Non-Resident Expert, US Department of Defense (DoD) Office of the Joint Staff’s Strategic Multilayer Assessment (SMA) program
  • Expert Advisory Group Member, the Global Commission on Responsible AI in the Military Domain (REAIM), Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Security Policy Department
  • British International Studies Association, Member 
  • International Studies Association­, Member 

Latest Publications

  • Foxes and Hedgehogs in Human-Machine Nuclear Decision-Making: Cognitive Styles and the Socio-Technical Dynamics of Nuclear Deterrence

    Johnson, J.
    Defence Studies
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • GenAI and Synthetic Foresight at the Brink: The Future of Nuclear Crisis Decision-Making

    Johnson, J.
    European Journal of International Security
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Can AI behave ethically during military crises? Preserving human moral agency

    Johnson, J.
    International Affairs, vol. 102, no. 1, pp. 63-83
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear Stability: Understanding AI’s Impact on Military Escalation Dynamics and Strategic Deterrence

    Johnson, J.
    The Hague: The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies. 10 pages
    Books and Reports: Commissioned Reports
    • [ONLINE]
    • [ONLINE]

  • Revisiting the “Stability-Instability Paradox” in AI-enabled Warfare: A modern-day Promethean tragedy under the nuclear shadow?

    Johnson, J.
    Review of International Studies, pp. 1-19
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

View My Publications

Research

Research Overview

  • Strategic affairs 
  • Artificial intelligence & future warfare
  • Political psychology
  • Nuclear weapons policy & non-proliferation 

 

Current Research

Project: AI and the Future of Nuclear Stability & Crisis Decision-Making

This project addresses a critical yet underexplored threat to nuclear stability: the integration of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled decision-support systems into nuclear command-and-control architectures and their deployment in high-stakes strategic environments. Nuclear-armed states are increasingly exploring AI tools to simulate crises, forecast adversary behavior, analyze intelligence, and support national security decision-making. While these systems promise enhanced foresight and accelerated decision processes, they also introduce novel cognitive, ethical, and institutional risks. In particular, AI-enabled decision-support systems—including emerging generative AI applications—may distort perception, generate misleading signals, and heighten the risk of miscalculation or inadvertent escalation during nuclear crises. This project seeks to diagnose these risks, develop anticipatory mitigation strategies, and inform governance frameworks before AI-enabled decision-support systems become deeply embedded in strategic decision-making.

Funding: This project is supported by Longview Philanthropy.

Teaching

Courses

Teaching Responsibilities

  • Director of Strategic Studies
  • Director & Founder of the Strategic Studies Wargaming Club
  • Director & Founder of the Strategic Studies Network (SSN)
Publications

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  • Foxes and Hedgehogs in Human-Machine Nuclear Decision-Making: Cognitive Styles and the Socio-Technical Dynamics of Nuclear Deterrence

    Johnson, J.
    Defence Studies
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • GenAI and Synthetic Foresight at the Brink: The Future of Nuclear Crisis Decision-Making

    Johnson, J.
    European Journal of International Security
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Can AI behave ethically during military crises? Preserving human moral agency

    Johnson, J.
    International Affairs, vol. 102, no. 1, pp. 63-83
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear Stability: Understanding AI’s Impact on Military Escalation Dynamics and Strategic Deterrence

    Johnson, J.
    The Hague: The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies. 10 pages
    Books and Reports: Commissioned Reports
    • [ONLINE]
    • [ONLINE]

  • Revisiting the “Stability-Instability Paradox” in AI-enabled Warfare: A modern-day Promethean tragedy under the nuclear shadow?

    Johnson, J.
    Review of International Studies, pp. 1-19
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Post-9/11 US thinking and approaches to nuclear deterrence: the Bush Doctrine and the role of nuclear weapons in US deterrence strategy

    Johnson, J.
    International Politics, vol. 61, no. 3, pp. 547–566
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Is there a Human in the Machine? AI and Future Warfare

    Johnson, J.
    War on the Rocks
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Articles
    • [ONLINE]

  • The AI Commander: Centaur Teaming, Command, and Ethical Dilemmas

    Johnson, J.
    Oxford University Press, Oxford. 224 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [ONLINE]

  • Finding AI Faces in the Moon and Armies in the Clouds: Anthropomorphising Artificial Intelligence in Military Human-Machine Interactions

    Johnson, J.
    Global Society, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 67-82
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]
    • [ONLINE]

  • Proceed with Caution: Artificial Intelligence in Weapon Systems

    Johnson, J.
    Commissioned by House of Lords. London, UK: House of Lords. 100 pages
    Books and Reports: Commissioned Reports
    • [ONLINE]
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Nuclear Brinkmanship in AI-Enabled Warfare: A Dangerous Algorithmic Game of Chicken

    Johnson, J.
    War on the Rocks
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Articles
    • [ONLINE]

  • Understanding the Humanitarian Consequences and Risks of Nuclear Weapons: New findings from recent scholarship

    Johnson, J., Ritchie, N., Kupriyanov, M.
    Vienna: Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs Department for Disarmament. 116 pages
    Books and Reports: Commissioned Reports
    • [ONLINE]

  • The Challenges of AI Command and Control

    Johnson, J.
    European Leadership Network
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Articles
    • [ONLINE]

  • AI and the Bomb: Nuclear strategy and risk in the digital age

    Johnson, J.
    Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. 288 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
    • [ONLINE]
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [ONLINE]

  • The AI Commander Problem: Ethical, Political, and Psychological Dilemmas of Human-Machine Interactions in AI-enabled Warfare

    Johnson, J.
    Journal of Military Ethics , vol. 23, no. 3-4, pp. 246-271
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]
    • [ONLINE]

  • The US, Indo-Pacific, AI and Emerging Security Technologies

    Johnson, J.
    Routledge Handbook of US policy in the Indo-Pacific. Turner, O., Aslam, W., Nymalm, N. (eds.). Routledge
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
    • [OPEN ACCESS]
    • [ONLINE]

  • Inadvertent Escalation in the Age of Intelligence Machines: A new model for nuclear risk in the digital age

    Johnson, J.
    European Journal of International Security , vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 337-359
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • AI, Autonomy, and the Risk of Nuclear War

    Johnson, J.
    War on the Rocks
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Articles
    • [ONLINE]

  • Automating the OODA Loop in the Age of AI

    Johnson, J.
    Center for Strategic and International Studies
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Articles
    • [ONLINE]

  • Counterfactual Thinking & Nuclear Risk in the Digital Age: The Role of Uncertainty, Complexity, Chance, and Human Psychology

    Johnson, J.
    Journal for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 394-421
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Automating the OODA loop in the age of intelligent machines: reaffirming the role of humans in command-and-control decision-making in the digital age

    Johnson, J.
    Defence Studies, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 43-67
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Delegating strategic decision-making to machines: Dr. Strangelove redux?

    Johnson, J.
    The Journal of Strategic Studies, vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 439-477
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [ONLINE]

  • Escalation to Nuclear War in the Digital Age: RISK OF INADVERTENT ESCALATION IN THE EMERGING INFORMATION ECOSYSTEM

    Johnson, J.
    Modern War Institute at West Point
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Articles
    • [ONLINE]

  • Does the United States face a multipolar future? Washington's response through the lens of technology

    Johnson, J.
    National perspectives on a multipolar order: Interrogating the global power transition. Zala, B. (ed.). 1st edition. Manchester University Press, pp. 26-40, 15 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [ONLINE]

  • Artificial intelligence and the future of warfare: The USA, China, and strategic stability

    Johnson, J.
    Manchester University Press, London, UK. 240 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
    • [ONLINE]

  • Artificial Intelligence, Autonomy, and the Risk of Catalytic Nuclear War

    Johnson, J.
    Modern War Institute at West Point
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Articles
    • [ONLINE]

  • Rethinking Nuclear Deterrence in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

    Johnson, J.
    Modern War Institute at West Point
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Articles
    • [ONLINE]

  • ‘Catalytic nuclear war’ in the age of artificial intelligence & autonomy: Emerging military technology and escalation risk between nuclear-armed states

    Johnson, J.
    The Journal of Strategic Studies
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [ONLINE]

  • Deterrence in the age of artificial intelligence and autonomy: a paradigm shift in nuclear deterrence theory and practice?

    Johnson, J.
    Defense & Security Analysis, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 422-448
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [ONLINE]

  • Emerging Technologies and Chinese Challenges to US Innovation Leadership

    Johnson, J.
    Emerging Technologies and International Security: Machines, the State and War. Steff, R., Soare, S., Burton, J. (eds.). 1 edition. Routledge, pp. 29-48, 20 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • AI and the Bomb: Nuclear Command & Control in the Age of the Algorithm

    Johnson, J.
    Modern War Institute at West Point
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Articles
    • [ONLINE]

  • Artificial intelligence: a threat to strategic stability

    Johnson, J.
    Strategic Studies Quarterly, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 16
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE]

  • AI, Cyberspace, and Nuclear Weapons

    Johnson, J., Krabill, E.
    War on the Rocks
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Articles
    • [ONLINE]

  • Artificial intelligence, drone swarming and escalation risks in future warfare

    Johnson, J.
    RUSI Journal, vol. 165, no. 2, pp. 26-36
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [ONLINE]

  • Artificial intelligence in nuclear warfare: a perfect storm of instability?

    Johnson, J.
    The Washington Quarterly, vol. 43, no. 2, pp. 197-211
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • The AI-cyber nexus: implications for military escalation, deterrence, & strategic stability

    Johnson, J.
    Journal of Cyber Policy, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 442-460
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Is the US Losing the Artificial Intelligence Arms Race?

    Johnson, J.
    The Conversation
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Articles
    • [ONLINE]

  • The end of military-techno Pax Americana? Washington’s strategic responses to Chinese AI-enabled military technology

    Johnson, J.
    Pacific Review, vol. 34, no. 3, pp. 351-378
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Artificial intelligence and future warfare: implications for international security

    Johnson, J.
    Defense & Security Analysis, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 147-169
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • China’s Vision of the Future Network-Centric Battlefield: Cyber, Space and Electromagnetic Asymmetric Challenges to the United States

    Johnson, J.
    Comparative Strategy, vol. 37, no. 5, pp. 373-390
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Chinese evolving approaches to nuclear “war-fighting”: an emerging Intense US-China security dilemma and threats to crisis stability in the Asia Pacific

    Johnson, J.
    Asian Security , vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 215-232
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • The 2019 UK PONI Papers: VIII. The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Strategic Stability, Escalation, and Nuclear security

    Johnson, J., Dudin, S. (ed.), Wiley, C. (ed.)
    London, UK: Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies. 5 pages
    Books and Reports: Commissioned Reports
    • [ONLINE]
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • China and the US are Racing to Develop AI Weapons

    Johnson, J.
    The Conversation
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Articles
    • [ONLINE]

  • China’s Vision of the Future Networked Battlefield: Emerging Military-Technological Challenges to the United States

    Johnson, J.
    The US-China Military and Defense Relationship during the Obama Presidency. Springer International Publishing
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters

  • Chinese Evolving Approaches to Nuclear ‘War-Fighting’: An Emerging Security Dilemma?

    Johnson, J.
    The US-China Military and Defense Relationship during the Obama Presidency. Springer International Publishing
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters

  • Conceptualizing the United States--China Security Dilemma

    Johnson, J.
    The US-China Military and Defense Relationship during the Obama Presidency. Springer International Publishing
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters

  • ‘Guam Express’ and ‘Carrier Killers’: China’s Asymmetric Missile Threat to the United States in the Pacific

    Johnson, J.
    The US-China Military and Defense Relationship during the Obama Presidency. Springer International Publishing
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters

  • Introduction: Obama’s ‘Pivot’ to Asia and Air-Sea Battle

    Johnson, J.
    The US-China Military and Defense Relationship during the Obama Presidency. Springer International Publishing
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters

  • The US-China military and defense relationship during the Obama presidency

    Johnson, J.
    Palgrave Macmillan, New York, NY. 198 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Washington’s Perceptions and Misperceptions of China’s Anti-access Area Denial ‘Strategy’

    Johnson, J.
    The US-China Military and Defense Relationship during the Obama Presidency. Springer International Publishing
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
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