2084 and the Future of Global Conflict
In this interview for Sources & Methods, Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis discuss 2084, their speculative novel exploring climate conflict, artificial intelligence, autonomous weapons, drone warfare, and the geopolitical future of war.
Set decades in the future, 2084 imagines a world reshaped by environmental collapse, shifting global alliances, advanced military technologies, and strategic competition between major powers.
Climate Change, AI, and Future Warfare
The conversation explores how climate instability, resource scarcity, automation, and emerging military technologies could reshape international conflict during the coming decades.
Ackerman and Stavridis discuss autonomous systems, cyber warfare, artificial intelligence, laser weapons, advanced drones, and the ways technological acceleration may alter both military strategy and political power.
The interview also examines how fiction can help societies think seriously about future risks before they become reality.
From Cold War Fiction to Modern Geopolitics
Drawing comparisons to Cold War-era cautionary works such as Dr. Strangelove, the discussion frames speculative fiction as a way to explore plausible geopolitical futures and encourage strategic thinking about emerging global threats.
The authors reflect on how military experience, alliance systems, climate disruption, and technological change continue to shape modern strategic planning and international security.
Listen to the Full Interview
This interview originally appeared on Sources & Methods.