Dr. Todd C. Helmus, Founder

Meridian Influence Group logo with a globe icon on a dark blue background.

We help allied governments, AI firms and corporate leaders detect, counter, and outmaneuver adversary information threats.


Meridian Influence Group combines 20 years of AI and behavioral science expertise with the operational rigor to turn intelligence into action.

What We Do

AI Capability Design & Solution Architecture

We advise defense technology firms on the design, acquisition, and deployment of next-generation information advantage tools — and help them win the contracts to build them.

Defense IO & Influence Operations

We advise defense contractors and allied partners on influence campaign design, targeting, evaluation, and AI-enablement — applying the Enlisting Madison Avenue methodology to ensure IO programs actually shift behavior.

AI Threat Defense & Institutional Resilience

We protect corporate brands, executive leadership, and democratic institutions against AI-generated information attacks and foreign interference.

$12M+

Government Funding Procured

20+

Years of IO & AI Expertise

25+

Countries of Engagement

500k+

Publication Downloads

A middle-aged man with short gray hair and blue eyes smiling, wearing black glasses, a dark suit jacket, and a light blue collared shirt against a plain white background.

Todd C. Helmus, Ph.D.

Founder & Principal

Todd Helmus is a behavioral scientist, 20-year RAND Corporation veteran, and one of the world's leading authorities on influence operations and AI-driven information threats. He is the author of Enlisting Madison Avenue, the landmark RAND report (Washington Post front page) that introduced private-sector branding and marketing to military strategic communications and helped educate a generation of IO professionals.

His research on adversary influence operations resulted in personal sanctions by the Russian Federation. He has testified before the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, advised Congress on mitigation strategies for GenAI and maintains working relationships across the frontier AI ecosystem and major social media platforms

Are you ready to outmaneuver the threat?

Whether you're building next-generation IO tools, defending an allied democracy, or protecting a corporate brand from AI-generated attacks — we bring 20 years of expertise to your mission.