The term “dual-use” used to be limited to tech with both civilian and military applications, but as emerging technologies span scientific, commercial, security and policy domains, this meaning has become contested. Dual-use technology is more than a fixed technical category, and contemporary dual-use challenges no longer fall neatly within a single discipline or regulatory domain.
This paper, grounded in science and technology studies, traces how the concept of dual use has developed and been interpreted over time. The authors propose a framework for understanding dual use that treats it as a condition in which a technology can be used toward civilian or military, benevolent or malevolent, and legitimate or illegitimate purposes. A more holistic understanding of the spectrum of dual use may help stakeholders more accurately assess where a technology sits in relation to dual-use concerns, what kinds of risks may emerge and when anticipatory governance should be enacted.
