DAVE PITTS
The Battle for Decision Autonomy
Keynote
President, Information Professionals Association
Former Assistant Director of CIA; ex-Chief, National Resources Division and two of CIA's largest field stations
40+ years in national security, intelligence, strategic competition, and special operations
Co-Founder, The Cipher Brief's Gray Zone Group; Cipher Brief Expert
Leading voice on decision autonomy, cognitive warfare, and great power competition
Thursday
4:30 PM
Keynote | The Battle for Decision Autonomy -A New Front in Strategic Competition
Decision-making is one of humanity's greatest attributes—and one of its greatest vulnerabilities. As strategic competition increasingly shifts into the cognitive domain, preserving decision autonomy has become a national security imperative. This presentation examines how decision autonomy is challenged and why it is emerging as a foundational concept in cognitive security.
Dave Pitts is President of the Information Professionals Association, a former CIA senior executive, and a veteran with more than four decades of experience operating at the intersection of national security, intelligence, strategic competition, and special operations. His government career culminated as Assistant Director of CIA, following assignments as chief of the Agency's National Resources Division, chief of two of CIA's largest field stations, and numerous senior leadership positions directing intelligence operations, counterterrorism efforts, and strategic partnerships in some of the world's most challenging environments.
Today, Dave's work focuses on advancing the emerging field of cognitive security through research, writing, and speaking on decision autonomy, cognitive warfare, the gray zone, and great power competition. As President of the Information Professionals Association, co-founder of The Cipher Brief's Gray Zone Group, and a Cipher Brief Expert, he helps government, industry, and academic leaders understand how influence over human judgment is reshaping conflict, competition, and resilience. His work emphasizes strengthening Cognitive Security and preserving decision autonomy so leaders and institutions can make better decisions in an increasingly contested information environment.