How Storytelling Shapes Strategy: Peter W. Singer on China, Cyber, and the Future of Conflict

New America Senior Fellow and Strategist Peter W. Singer spoke with Frank Cilluffo on the Cyber Focus podcast regarding how storytelling shapes strategy:

In this episode of Cyber Focus, host Frank Cilluffo speaks with Peter W. Singer, strategist at New America, professor at Arizona State, and founder of Useful Fiction. They revisit Singer’s influential book Ghost Fleet and examine how the strategic landscape—particularly U.S.-China competition—has shifted over the past decade. Singer discusses China’s military reorganization and the lessons it's drawing from the war in Ukraine. He also explores how AI is reshaping the nature of cyber threats. The conversation highlights the growing intersection of cyber, physical, and cognitive warfare. Singer explains how storytelling can make complex strategies easier to understand and more likely to drive change. He emphasizes the need for cross-domain thinking and a more dynamic approach to building the cybersecurity workforce.