• Global military spend hit $2.7 trillion in 2024, up 9.4% real terms, dominated by China and the US. • NATO’s 2025 summit set a 5% GDP defence target by 2035, a massive budget shift. • The 5% pledge could divert funds from civilian sectors, e.g., the UK’s NHS vs defence. • Defence R&D budgets may prioritize AI and quantum computing, while climate science could face cuts. • Scholars warn that militarized funding priorities could reshape career paths, favouring security tech over basic research. • Some countries, like Spain, push for broader defence spending to include non‑military tech.
Article Summaries:
- Global military spending rose to $2.7 trillion in 2024, a 9.4 % real‑term increase, with China and the United States accounting for nearly half. In June 2025, 31 of 32 NATO members pledged to spend 5 % of GDP on defence by 2035, a move that could dramatically raise defence R&D budgets while cutting funding for other areas. Studies show higher defence spending correlates with fewer patent filings and reduced public R&D in health and general knowledge, especially in OECD countries. Experts warn that the shift may boost fields like AI but weaken climate science, and that tighter visa and data‑access controls could curtail international collaboration.
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