In this global tech race, America faces three significant obstacles: China, excessive global regulation, and the fear of the unknown. With the stakes incredibly high, it is imperative that leaders in Washington prioritize public policy that accelerates innovation and upholds American values.
A tech race between global superpowers is nothing new. President Kennedy embraced this challenge, setting a bold vision to put a man on the moon and proving U.S. resilience ahead of the Soviet Union. Now, the U.S. and its allies face an axis of authoritarian powers disrupting the world order. China, economically stronger than the Soviet Union at its peak, has invested $1.4 trillion to advance its technological capabilities. Our response must be equally ambitious, adopting emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), America’s modern-day moonshot moment.
At its core, the race for global tech leadership isn’t just about national security and economics – it’s a competition of values. The West uses technology for growth, opportunity, expression, and fostering democracy. In contrast, China uses technology for censorship, control, suppression, and oppression.
America has a decades-long advantage in security, economic prosperity, and global influence. As pioneers of AI and the internet, we are well-positioned to lead. However, our advantage has been slowly eroding over the last 15 years. A recent Australian study concluded that China leads the United States in 37 of 44 critical and emerging technologies. Similarly, a Harvard study describes China as a “near-peer” competitor to the U.S. in AI, quantum computing, and other future technologies. This competition is fierce, and the race is short; a winner will be decided within the next decade. The decisions of today will significantly impact tomorrow’s outcome for this tech race.