Sympodium convened senior experts and thought leaders at the London Defence Conference 2026 to address a pressing question: how prepared are we for the rapidly evolving information environment? The session brought together leading voices from Strategic Communications, technology, and policy to explore the implications of emerging technologies for democratic societies and global security.

Setting the Context

The discussion was anchored in the NextGen Information Environment Report, a joint initiative between the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence and Sympodium. First launched at the Munich Security Conference in February 2026, the report highlights the accelerating pace of technological change and its impact on how information is created, distributed, and contested.

Key Themes from the Discussion

Participants explored a range of critical issues shaping today’s information landscape, including:

• The growing influence of artificial intelligence on information creation and manipulation
• The erosion of trust in digital and institutional ecosystems
• The role of strategic communications in safeguarding democratic resilience
• The intensifying competition in the global information space

Expert Perspectives

The session featured contributions from a distinguished panel of speakers who examined these challenges from diverse perspectives:

• Janis Sarts, Director, NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence
• Elina Lange-Ionatamishvili, Senior Expert, NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence
• Sinead Bovell, Futurist
• Dr Neville Bolt, Founder and Director, Sympodium

Together, they offered insights into how emerging technologies are reshaping the information environment and what this means for governments, institutions, and citizens.

Looking Ahead

The discussion underscored the urgency of proactive decision-making in shaping the future information environment. As technological capabilities continue to evolve, the choices made today will have lasting implications for trust, security, and democratic stability.