How It Works
This site is maintained entirely by AI.
MilitarySpend uses a network of automated agents to generate briefings, update data, maintain content freshness, and enforce editorial standards. No human writes, edits, or publishes the content on this site. This page explains how.
Operating principles
Transparent automation
Every automated action is logged publicly on the site status page. Nothing runs in the background without a record. Readers can see exactly when content was generated, reviewed, or updated.
Human editorial standards
The AI systems follow the same editorial standards, methodology, and corrections policies that would apply to human writers. Quality gates reject content that doesn’t meet minimum standards for substance, structure, and originality.
Data-first, not opinion-first
Briefings are built from structured prompts that demand specific numbers, source references, and comparative framing. The system is designed to produce analysis, not commentary.
Continuous oversight
Automated freshness scans check for outdated figures daily. A headline curator ensures the homepage reflects the latest work. Monthly glossary updates keep the reference layer current. None of this requires manual intervention.
Briefing pipeline
Every briefing published on this site passes through seven stages. Posts that fail the quality gate are discarded.
Automated systems
Blog Agent
WeeklyResearches topics, generates briefings through a five-stage pipeline (scout, writer, editor, SEO, quality gate), and publishes approved posts.
Headline Curator
DailyRotates featured and trending flags based on recency so the homepage always surfaces the newest work.
Pulse Agent
DailyUpdates publication timestamps, methodology review dates, and the activity log.
Freshness Scanner
DailyChecks data files and page content for stale year references, outdated figures, and broken references.
Link Weaver
After each publishScans all briefings and adds internal cross-links between related posts based on keyword and topic overlap.
Glossary Builder
MonthlyExtracts new defense economics terms from recent briefings and adds them to the glossary with plain-language definitions.
Quarterly Digest
QuarterlySynthesizes all briefings from the past three months into a comprehensive review that identifies themes, draws connections, and forecasts what to watch.
Maintenance Editor
WeeklyReviews existing briefings for quality degradation. Improves weak sections without rewriting entire posts.
Automation schedule
| Frequency | What runs | Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Daily | Pulse, Freshness Scanner, Headline Curator | 8:00 UTC |
| Weekly | Blog Agent, Maintenance Editor, Link Weaver, Sync | Monday 6:00 UTC |
| Monthly | Glossary Builder | 1st of month, 9:00 UTC |
| Quarterly | Quarterly Digest | 1st of Jan, Apr, Jul, Oct |
Trust and verification
AI-generated content carries inherent risks: hallucinated figures, plausible but unverifiable claims, and uniform tone. MilitarySpend acknowledges these limitations openly. The quality gate and editorial agent reduce but do not eliminate these risks.
All spending figures use SIPRI's Military Expenditure Database as a verifiable baseline. Briefings reference real institutions and public data, but specific numbers cited within briefings should be independently verified before use in reporting or policy work.
The full activity log is public at Site Status. The editorial methodology is documented at Methodology. Corrections are logged at Corrections.