2026 Theme: Securing the AI-Driven Future: Defense and Offense in the Age of Generative Intelligence
The rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is transforming the global cybersecurity landscape, impacting how military operations, national defense agencies and critical infrastructure sectors respond to emerging threats. From AI-generated phishing campaigns and deepfake disinformation to automated malware and autonomous cyberattacks, adversaries are leveraging GenAI to disrupt, deceive and destabilize at scale.
In this new age of AI-driven cyber warfare, how can the United States and allied nations maintain technological and strategic superiority? How do we defend sensitive systems, develop AI-enabled deterrents, and establish clear rules of engagement in cyberspace?
This is your opportunity to influence the national conversation on AI and cybersecurity strategy. Share your insights, help shape policy and doctrine, and contribute to building a more secure, resilient, and technologically advanced future.
Ideal submissions will:
- Explain how GenAI is reshaping cyber threats across defense, intelligence and infrastructure
- Propose solutions—technical, policy-based or operational—that can strengthen cybersecurity and national resilience
- Show how these ideas can be realistically implemented in military, government or industry environments
Suggested topics include:
- AI-powered cyber defense for military systems
- Offensive cyber capabilities enabled by GenAI
- Securing critical infrastructure sectors, including:
- Energy, water, transportation, and telecommunications
- Space-based systems and assets
- Research and development (R&D) ecosystems
- Education and academic institutions as targets and innovation hubs
- Legal and ethical frameworks for AI in cyber operations and digital warfare
- Building AI-enabled resilience in command and control (C2) systems
- Public–private collaboration to counter GenAI-enabled threats
- Protecting national innovation pipelines from AI-enabled IP theft and cyber espionage
- Developing workforce strategies and cyber education programs for the AI era
Submission Guidelines:
- Length: 1,200–1,600 words
- Style: Journalistic (no academic citations; include quotes, examples, and attribution)
- Content must be original and unpublished
- Submissions should be written by the author(s), with minimal use of generative AI tools (e.g., for grammar checks,outline assistance, or headline search engine optimization). Articles that appear to be heavily AI-generated may be disqualified
- Audience: Senior leaders, decision-makers, cybersecurity professionals in the military, defense and national security industry, and research institutions
AWARD SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 23, 2026
Prizes
The top three authors will each receive a monetary prize and have their articles published by SIGNAL Magazine.
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1st place — $5,000
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2nd place — $2,000
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3rd place — $1,000
Eligibility
Open to industry, academia, government and military at all levels and locations. Employees of AFCEA and their immediate families, or employees of the contest sponsor, are not eligible. Only one submission per individual name, regardless of author or co-author status. An author can include co-authors when submitting; however, regardless of the number of co-authors, only one prize will be paid, as shown above, per winning submission.
