Semantic intelligence (Cemint): Algorithm and structure of cognitive foresight

Abstract

This article presents the concept of Semantic Intelligence (Cognitive & Strategic Semantic Intelligence) as a new paradigm for Ukraine’s cognitive security and a key instrument in countering hybrid and cognitive threats of the 21st century. Semantic Intelligence is defined as a systemic activity aimed at identifying, analyzing, interpreting, and forecasting semantic structures and value codes that shape public consciousness, influence collective behavior, and determine the strategic orientation of state development. It is argued that, in today’s war for consciousness, traditional intelligence models (OSINT, HUMINT) fail to provide a deep understanding of cognitive processes, as they operate on facts rather than the underlying meanings behind them. In contrast, Cognitive & Strategic Semantic Intelligence operates on the level of archetypes, value structures, and perception models that define political stability, psychological resilience, and national identity. The article outlines the key principles of Semantic Intelligence: systemicity, foresight, cognitive resilience, and ethical responsibility. A three-tier model of implementation is proposed: analytical (detection of semantic signals and patterns), prognostic (modeling of semantic transformation scenarios), and project-based (development of positive counter-codes and unifying meanings that consolidate society). Practical cases are analyzed, including symbolic substitutions in public space, cognitive manipulation via digital platforms (e.g., TikTok, Telegram), and the formation of ideological cults as micro-models of programmed consciousness. These examples demonstrate the urgency of establishing a national system of Cognitive & Strategic Semantic Intelligence that can provide early detection of threats, forecasting of cognitive attacks, and development of counter-strategies. The research concludes that institutionalizing Semantic Intelligence must become a component of Ukraine’s humanitarian and information policy, aimed at building the semantic resilience of society. This opens the path toward a shift from defense to semantic leadership — a new mode of state thinking where the primary resources of sovereignty are not territory or economy, but consciousness, ideas, and meanings capable of shaping the country’s future.