James Andrew Lewis

Senior Vice President; Pritzker Chair; and Director, Strategic Technologies Program
James Andrew Lewis

James Lewis writes on technology and strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Before joining CSIS, he was a diplomat and a member of the Senior Executive Service. Lewis has a track record of being among the first to identify new tech and security issues and devise polices to address them. He developed groundbreaking policies on cybersecurity, remote sensing, encryption, spectrum management, and high-tech exports to China, including 5G, software, and semiconductors. He also helped create the Wassenaar Arrangement. Lewis was a senior adviser for four UN Groups of Governmental Experts on Information Security, and his work on norms to build stability in cyberspace is foundational. He leads a long-running track 2 dialogue with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. His current work looks at how countries innovate and at digitalization and its political, economic, and security effects. Early in his career, Lewis was a political adviser to two combatant commanders. Lewis has authored numerous publications since coming to CSIS (see the full list here). He is frequently quoted in the media, has served on several federal advisory committees, and has testified numerous times before Congress. He received his PhD from the University of Chicago.

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Executive Education

Global Foresight: Preparing for Future Trends

Global Foresight: Preparing for Future Trends is Washington’s premier executive course for mid-to senior-level professionals responsible for helping their organizations identify and prepare for the global macrotrends that will drive change for the next 30 years.

Course Date: April 8, 2025
Registration Closes: March 26, 2025

Building A Tech Alliance

Senior U.S. leadership should build on existing frameworks to create a path toward a successful technology alliance amongst democracies.

Commentary by James Andrew Lewis — October 29, 2024

Audio Briefs

Building A Tech Alliance

An audio version of “Building A Tech Alliance,” a new commentary by CSIS’s James Andrew Lewis. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by James Andrew Lewis — October 29, 2024

Audio Briefs

Connected Cars and Spying

James Lewis examines how hostile powers pose the risk of espionage and disruption as connected cars become more prevalent. 

Commentary by James Andrew Lewis — October 1, 2024

Inside Cyber Diplomacy

How to Make Cyber Policy a Headline in Brussels

Jim Lewis and Chris Painter talk to Estonia's former ambassador at large for cyber diplomacy Heli Tirmaa-Klaar.

Podcast Episode by James Andrew Lewis and Christopher Painter — August 27, 2024

CSIS Inside Cyber Diplomacy
Audio Briefs

Blackout Scorecard

An audio version of “Blackout Scorecard,” a new commentary by CSIS’s James Andrew Lewis. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by James Andrew Lewis — July 26, 2024

Audio Briefs

Blackout Scorecard

James Lewis looks at the July 19 outage and the potential lessons learned for cyber resiliency.

Commentary by James Andrew Lewis — July 25, 2024