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The Fourth Intelligence Revolution

Former senior intelligence officer Dr. Anthony Vinci reveals how espionage practices are being transformed by a new global intelligence conflict, driven by AI and competition with China, and how ordinary Americans can play their part in defending our way of life

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Anthony Vinci served as the first Chief Technology Officer and Associate Director for Capabilities at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). Earlier in his career he served in Iraq, Africa and Asia. After leaving the world of intelligence, Anthony became an executive at a private equity firm and CEO of a technology company. Dr. Vinci is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) and received his PhD in International Relations from The London School of Economics.

CONNECT WITH ANTHONY

Photo of author, Anthony Vinci, sitting at table in suit against a white wall

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Fourth Intelligence Revolution serves as both a warning and a call to action, highlighting the dangers of these emerging threats and the risks of mismanaging this revolution.

The new global intelligence competition has brought espionage into our workplaces and our living rooms. Adversaries like China, Iran, and Russia have realized that the human element is the weakest link in our industrial and political infrastructure. As a result, they target all of us—stealing our financial data and medical records, eavesdropping on our conversations, and using platforms like TikTok and Hollywood movies to influence our opinions.

The Fourth Intelligence Revolution reveals how the undercover adventures of World War II, the spy-versus-spy confrontations of the Cold War, and the “find- fix-and-finish” counterterrorism missions after 9/11 have given way to the most dangerous period of espionage yet. This eye-opening account exposes how intelligence now permeates every corner of society, from economic espionage and biological data gathering to information operations targeting children through AI chatbots, even extending to reconnaissance on the far side of the moon.

Both a warning and a call to action, The Fourth Intelligence Revolution suggests that we are all, in essence, becoming intelligence officers and that citizens have both the power and responsibility to reclaim intelligence to safeguard and strengthen our democracy.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

Selected as a Best Book of 2025 by The Financial Times

Reviews"From spy satellites to social media, technology is transforming spycraft--and empowering our adversaries. The Fourth Intelligence Revolution shows that America's intelligence agencies risk falling behind this wave of technological change. With a career spanning tech companies and the intelligence community, Anthony Vinci knows the peril we face as adversaries use AI to sift and analyze enormous quantities of our data. Our only hope is to be faster and smarter. The Fourth Intelligence Revolution explains how we can compete."

—Chris Miller, author of Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology

"In this compelling book, Anthony Vinci explains the evolution of intelligence as a pillar of U.S. national security, describes an increasingly dangerous future, and identifies what we all must do to protect our nation and our way of life. The Fourth Intelligence Revolution should be read, discussed, and, most importantly, heeded."

—H.R. McMaster, author of Dereliction of Duty, Battlegrounds, and At War with Ourselves

"Anthony Vinci takes us into the new world of espionage, where satellites and drones and ubiquitous surveillance devices form the eerie background—but where the abiding rule of the spy game remains simply: 'Ye shall know the truth.' Vinci has been on the front lines of this new intelligence war, and he gives readers a rare inside look."

—David Ignatius, columnist for The Washington Post and author of Phantom Orbit

ESPIONAGE MATTERS
TO YOU

Most people think of espionage as something that happens in far off countries and on TV. But in today’s world, we have all become targets of espionage. Russian operatives publish disinformation campaigns which you have probably seen on social media without even realizing it. Chinese intelligence officers steal your data and use apps like TikTok to influence how you think. Iranian Revolutionary Guard officers hack into your home and work computers.

Intelligence officers once preyed upon President’s and Generals, today they prey upon all of us, because they know that we – regular people – are the soft underbelly of our nation. We are the people who vote and ultimately hold power. We are the people who work at companies that make America powerful. We are the people who sign up to be in the military or become police officers or cybersecurity experts.

So what can we do about this?

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