Cache Me If You Can

In this episode of Cache Me if You Can, we dive into quantum technology and why it’s quickly becoming one of the most consequential frontiers in U.S.-China strategic competition. Once confined to research labs and academic theory, quantum is now moving toward real-world applications that could reshape cybersecurity, intelligence collection, advanced sensing, and the global balance of power.

Our guest, Dr. James (Jim) Lewis, former director of the Strategic Technologies Program at CSIS, draws on decades of experience spanning cyber policy, export controls, and high-tech competition with China to unpack what’s real, what’s hype, and what’s at stake. We discuss how quantum computing could threaten today’s encryption, why quantum sensing may arrive sooner than people think, how Beijing is investing to gain an edge, and what U.S. policymakers must do to sustain leadership, from funding and commercialization to workforce development and quantum-safe security standards.

In this episode of Cache Me if You Can, we explore how space has become a central arena for geopolitical competition, economic activity, and national security in the digital age. Once dominated by government-led exploration, space, particularly low Earth orbit, is now crowded with commercial actors, new technologies, and emerging security risks that challenge existing rules and norms.

Our guest, Audrey M. Schaffer, senior vice president of global policy and government strategy at Slingshot Aerospace and former director for space policy at the National Security Council, draws on her experience across the White House, Department of Defense, State Department, and NASA to unpack today’s evolving space threat environment. We discuss China’s growing space ambitions, the role of commercial satellites in modern conflict, the intersection of AI and space security, and how the United States can lead on governance, sustainability, and norm-setting to protect its competitive edge beyond Earth.

In this episode of Cache Me if You Can, we examine how governments around the world are shaping the rules of the digital age. From the United States’ market-driven approach to the European Union’s rights-based frameworks, competing models of tech governance are redefining innovation, privacy, and security.

Our guest, Shane Tews, nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and president of Logan Circle Strategies, draws on her experience across government, industry, and global internet governance to unpack debates over encryption, lawful access, and emerging technologies like AI and 5G. Together, we explore whether a shared global rulebook is still possible—or if the future of tech governance will be increasingly fragmented.

In this episode of Cache Me if You Can, we examine the invisible infrastructure that powers our digital lives: spectrum and telecommunications networks.

Our guest, Diane Rinaldo, former Acting Administrator of NTIA and a leading expert on 5G and supply chain security, breaks down the strategic stakes of next-generation wireless systems. We explore how spectrum competition shapes U.S.–China tech rivalry, why trusted networks are central to national security, and how emerging technologies like AI and quantum are transforming the telecom landscape.

Finally, we look ahead to 6G and discuss what the United States must do now to stay competitive in the race for the future of connectivity.

In this special edition episode of Cache Me if You Can, we dive beneath the surface of the U.S. military’s cyber enterprise to uncover the hidden challenges facing today’s cyber warfighters. CSIS Deputy Director Lauryn Williams is joined by three retired cyber operators—Col. Sean Kern, LtCol Tony Siciliano, and Col. Ben Ring—for a candid conversation about the real conditions inside the cyber trenches.

Drawing on anonymous quotes from current operators across the Services, the episode breaks down the four systemic pressures shaping the cyber workforce:

Leadership: Why technically proficient cyber operators rarely rise into senior command roles.

Training: How uneven and outdated training pipelines leave some operators unprepared for mission demands.

Readiness: Why a small cadre of highly skilled “unicorn” operators end up carrying the majority of the operational load.

Culture: How traditional service cultures undervalue cyber expertise compared to kinetic career fields.

Together, the guests unpack how these structural issues weaken the nation’s cyber readiness—and why addressing them may require establishing a dedicated U.S. Cyber Force designed to recruit, train, and retain the country’s top cyber talent.

Learn more at the CSIS Strategic Technologies Program.