As Democrats meet together at the Democratic National Convention to chart their vision for the future, they must prioritize an especially important issue: securing America’s role as a global leader in technology and innovation.
Why? Because no matter who wins the presidency this November, the U.S. stands at a pivotal juncture. We face escalating ambitions from foreign adversaries such as China that want to supplant our technology and artificial intelligence leadership. And if they do, a dark wave of digital authoritarianism will spread across the globe, threatening our security, our economy and our values.
American innovation has long stood as the engine of our country’s economy. Cities such as Chicago are leading the way with large investments in quantum computing, developing a high-value innovation hub. Gov. JB Pritzker’s fiscal year 2025 state budget includes $500 million to build a world-leading quantum computing campus, attracting billions of dollars in potential private sector and federal government investment. American lawmakers must follow Pritzker’s lead in scaling up investments and creating momentum for the tech sector. These investments will not only buoy communities and drive innovation, but they will also help protect American interests on the global stage.
U.S. policymakers need to act quickly, as China is aggressively investing in tech and innovation to outpace us. The Chinese Communist Party is determined to become the world’s preeminent technological superpower by 2049, and it is spending trillions of dollars to get there. The threat is not hypothetical or far in the future. FBI Director Christopher Wray warned, “The cyber threat posed by the Chinese government is massive. China’s hacking program is larger than that of every other major nation, combined.” According to senior U.S. counterintelligence officials, China steals $500 billion annually of U.S. technology and intellectual property — the equivalent of taking $4,000 to $6,000 annually from every family of four in America. In the 4D chess game of technology and national security, American leaders must be cognizant of losing control of the board and act accordingly.
As a Bay Area native, Vice President Kamala Harris shares a deep connection with Silicon Valley and the tech industry. In her November remarks on the future of AI, she highlighted the critical role policymakers play in propelling tech advancement and safeguarding against challenges. “An important way to address these challenges, in addition to the work we have already done, is through legislation — legislation that strengthens AI safety without stifling innovation.”
Her remarks reflect a vision for legislative and regulatory frameworks that promote progress in our tech sector and allow the country to maintain its competitive edge.
Make no mistake. Policymakers at all levels must understand that our technology leadership is a strategic asset for America, and it is critical not to cede our advantage to China. This is one of the few issues that unites Democrats and Republicans. When the leaders of both parties return to Washington next month, they must double down on their support for smart policies that accelerate American innovation and reject policies that undermine our domestic tech sector, harm our economy and weaken national security.
I spent more than 20 years in the intelligence community, four years at the Pentagon analyzing global terrorist threats and two terms in Congress serving on the Homeland Security Committee and the Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment. I understand the threats our nation faces all too well.
However, the race to lead in AI and other emerging technologies is about more than economics and national security. It’s ultimately about the values that will shape how these transformational innovations are used. America’s version of technology — one that supports freedom, democracy and expression — must win out over the authoritarian goal of using technology for censorship, control and surveillance.
Future generations of freedom-loving countries are counting on us to win this tech race. The stakes are high, the threats are real and we must meet the moment.
Chris Carney represented Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District for two terms and previously worked at the Pentagon for four years on strategic analysis of global terrorist threats.
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