Vanderbilt University‘s Institute of National Security announced today that Chris Miller, acclaimed historian and author of the New York Times bestseller Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology, will deliver the keynote address on day one of the 2025 Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats. The summit will take place April 10–11 in Nashville, Tennessee, and convene global leaders and experts from the military, intelligence, and technology sectors.
Miller’s keynote will follow a virtual opening address by Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, whose work is at the forefront of the AI revolution shaping both society and geopolitics. The high-profile pairing sets the tone for a summit designed to explore the complex intersections of artificial intelligence, global conflict, and technological competition.
Miller’s Chip War has become a defining account of the semiconductor industry’s central role in global power dynamics. The book has garnered widespread acclaim, winning the Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award, the Council on Foreign Relations Arthur Ross Book Award, and the IEEE 2024 History Prize. It was featured on “Best of 2022” book lists, including in The New Yorker and The Economist, and is considered essential reading for policymakers and tech leaders alike.
A professor at Tufts University’s Fletcher School and a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, Dr. Miller is widely recognized for his ability to connect historical insight with today’s most urgent strategic challenges. In addition to his academic work, he advises major businesses and asset managers through the consultancy Greenmantle, serves on McKinsey & Company’s Geopolitics Advisory Council, and consults with semiconductor and tech startups and investors worldwide.
“Chris Miller brings a rare combination of deep historical knowledge and strategic clarity to one of the most critical issues of our time—the global competition for technological advantage,” said General Paul M. Nakasone, founding director of the Vanderbilt Institute of National Security. “His perspective will help ground the summit’s conversations in the real-world stakes of ensuring access to this key technology.”
With just weeks until the summit, the event is now at capacity. However, attendees can still register to participate virtually at https://bit.ly/3FIianC. To view the full program, visit https://www.vanderbilt.edu/modern-conflict/.