During the Cold War the Central Intelligence Agency explored a range of unconventional intelligence techniques, including programs that investigated psychic phenomena. On February 20, 1995, the CIA acknowledged in declassified records and agency statements that it had sponsored and reviewed research into so-called remote viewing and related activities. The programs were framed as attempts to determine whether anomalous cognition could provide any operational advantage against perceived Soviet advances or to assess claims about foreign research. The work commonly associated with these efforts included experiments in remote viewing—attempts to perceive distant locations or events without conventional sensory input—and other parapsychological studies. These activities were conducted under various program names and contracts, and involved collaborations with academic researchers, private contractors, and other government entities. The programs produced reports, case files, and experimental data that later became part of the public record through declassification and Freedom of Information Act releases. Assessments produced by the CIA and other agencies were mixed. Internal reviewers often noted methodological weaknesses, limited reproducibility, and difficulties translating experimental results into reliable, operational intelligence. Some reports concluded that while certain experiments yielded intriguing or anomalous results, the evidence did not meet standards for consistent, actionable intelligence. As a result, by the 1990s the CIA and other agencies scaled back or terminated many of the programs. Public disclosure in the 1990s, including the 1995 acknowledgment, reflected a broader process of reviewing Cold War-era programs and releasing historical records. Declassified documents show both the interest in exploring unconventional methods and the skepticism of many scientists and intelligence analysts about their practical value. The CIA’s admission also prompted further public and congressional scrutiny into how research was funded, overseen, and evaluated. Historians and analysts treating these records emphasize context: the Cold War produced high levels of uncertainty and competition, and intelligence agencies pursued a wide array of initiatives to gain any potential edge. The psychic programs sit alongside other experimental efforts of the period as examples of intelligence organizations testing boundaries while balancing scientific standards, operational needs, and bureaucratic pressures. Contemporary summaries and declassified files remain the primary sources for understanding what was funded, who was involved, and how conclusions were reached. While popular accounts have sometimes dramatized the programs, careful readings of the declassified material underline that official assessments were cautious and that claims of consistent, reliable intelligence from psychic means were not substantiated to the satisfaction of most reviewers. The 1995 confirmation clarified the CIA’s historical role in examining parapsychological research, and the released records continue to be examined by scholars, journalists, and the public seeking to understand the interplay of science, intelligence, and policy during the Cold War.