Independence Day Reflections
Creating a Positive Vision for America’s Future
Hello, I’m Ylli Bajraktari, CEO of the Special Competitive Studies Project. In this week’s edition of 2-2-2, we reflect on the values that unite America as we celebrate July 4th. We're not just celebrating our past, but also looking ahead to a stronger future for America, with innovation in AI and emerging technologies at the forefront.
As part of this forward-looking vision, we announced the AI + Energy Summit on September 26, 2024. This event will gather senior policymakers, energy industry leaders, and prominent technologists in Washington, D.C. to work on solving this bottleneck. In part, our nation’s success on the global stage will depend on our edge in AI, our supply of energy, and the interaction between the two. We believe this Summit will build the ideas and policies that maintain America's competitive edge in AI + Energy.
Independence Day Reflections
Happy Fourth of July!
On America’s independence day, we celebrate our nation's founding and the principles on which it was built: liberty, equality, and justice for all. We started SCSP to focus, in large part, on our collective national competitiveness in AI and other emerging technologies. Our ideal framework for the United States, as laid out in our recently released Vision for Competitiveness, urges the United States – working with its allies – to bolster national strength, strengthen alliances, rebuild deterrence, catalyze American prosperity, and ensure our leadership in the coming era of AI-driven technological innovation.
While celebrating Independence Day during an election year can be complicated, it is a reminder that despite our differences, we all share a common respect and admiration for our country and its ideals. It's an opportunity to reflect on the values that unite us and to engage in the furtherance of our grand democratic experiment.
This experiment began with an audacious declaration of independence and the creation of a constitution that aimed to balance power, protect individual liberties, and foster a system of governance that reflected the will of the people.
However, our path has been far from straightforward. The government bodies responsible for everything from funding to regulation are often slow to act and not inherently designed for the fast-paced demands of a technology competition. These challenges can hinder our ability to respond swiftly and cohesively to international threats and opportunities. Yet, this very complexity has also been a source of strength and driving innovation.
The United States has a history of mobilizing the collective resources of academia, government, and the private sector in critical moments. During the Cold War, the United States not only met the challenge of the Soviet Union but also spurred technological advancements that defined the modern era. The space race led to the moon landing, and the investment in science and technology fueled unprecedented economic growth. The Manhattan Project, the development of the Internet, and the rapid rollout of COVID-19 vaccines are other examples of our nation’s ability to meet the moment. Indeed, our nation’s most ambitious technological achievements have resulted from united national efforts in technological advancement.
Today we see American innovation power at work, particularly with regards to AI. Academia is making space for AI across the country, the private sector continues to adopt AI across many sectors, and our departments and agencies are building programs focused on advancing America’s leadership. This combination of academia, private sector, and government is the triumvirate proactively fostering innovation and cultivating talent. Their collective commitment underscores a serious dedication to maintaining our nation's leadership in technological advancements.
That is why we hosted the first of its kind AI Expo for National Competitiveness here in Washington D.C. in May and why we wrote Vision for Competitiveness. Not because America is perfect, but because our ideals are worth pursuing and advancing. We know that there are many hard decisions to be made, political battles to be waged, and more, but we need to stand up for the experiment that is America. We believe that prevailing in the technological competition starts with restoring our strategic confidence, as handwringing, risk aversion, and self-doubt will neither inspire our friends nor intimidate our adversaries. Additionally, we must adapt to the changing nature of power; while military, diplomatic, economic, and soft power have been essential to our success, there is now both an opportunity and a necessity to master a new form of power: innovation power. Finally, we need to unabashedly stand up for, rebuild, and defend an order characterized by freedom, openness, democracy, and the rule of law that is opposed by the “Axis of Disruptors.”
Wishing everyone a safe and fun Independence Day as we celebrate our nation's enduring spirit and bright future.