The Economic Security Spotlight

Staying Ahead in the Global Technology Race: A Roadmap for Economic Security

Late last year, we published our first report as a department: Staying Ahead in the Global Technology Race: A Roadmap for Economic Security. The report consists of 13 essays from senior scholars across our department, reflecting on the generational shift in U.S. economic policy and recommending that the next administration prioritize the development of an allied economic security strategy—one that provides a clear path forward on export controls, global technology governance, domestic incentives for building technology capabilities, as well as a refresh on U.S. and allied technology cooperation. 

Our expectation is that Staying Ahead is just the first example of what is to come from our department—integrative work that connects the dots across economic policy, technology competition, and national security. As always, we welcome your feedback.

Back & Forth: Intel and the Semiconductor Industry

We are pleased to release the second edition of Back & Forth, a new series from EST that features two essays offering differing perspectives on a critical topic in economic security and technology policy.

Our goal in launching Back & Forth is to promote debate about ideas that do not get adequate attention in Washington policy circles. As a bipartisan community of scholars, our expectation is that Back & Forth will model the art of thoughtful disagreement about unexplored solutions to our biggest challenges on economic security and technology. That, in our opinion, is the crying need of democratic governance in polarized times.

In this edition, Sujai Shivakumar, Director of the Renewing American Innovation program and Senior Fellow at CSIS, Charles Wessner, Senior Adviser (Non-resident) at CSIS, and Christina Alfonso, President at the Council on Global Competition and Innovation, offer their views on Intel's potential role as a "national champion" in the U.S. semiconductor industry.

Events

Leadership Conversation with Under Secretary Geraldine Richmond 

Last week, we had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Geraldine Richmond, Under Secretary for Science and Innovation at the Department of Energy (DOE), for a fascinating conversation highlighting her tenure at DOE over the last three years. In that time, Dr. Richmond has overseen DOE's Office of Science, the nation’s largest federal sponsor of basic research in the physical sciences, along with DOE’s applied R&D areas of nuclear, fossil, and renewable energy.

The discussion covers the Office of Science’s focus on critical technologies and applied sciences, Energy Earthshots, public-private partnerships such as NatCast, and interagency collaborations. Give it a listen, and let us know what you think!

Reflecting on the Commerce Department’s Role in Protecting Critical Technology 
On Tuesday, we hosted Alan Estevez, Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, to unpack the recent export control updates and reflect on the Biden administration’s AI and semiconductor export control strategy, as well as other developments from BIS from the past four years.

Securing America’s Economic Future: A Conversation with EXIM Chair Reta Jo Lewis 
Earlier this week, we hosted Chair Reta Jo Lewis of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) to discuss EXIM’s newly introduced Supply Chain Resiliency Initiative (SCRI), and its role as a transformative financing tool for U.S. economic security.

Analysis

Securing the AGI Laurel: Export Controls, the Compute Gap, and China’s Counterstrategy 
Barath Harithas argues that the real stakes behind export controls are not semiconductors themselves, but AI, and that the U.S.-China compute gap should be the principal unit of measurement.

Strategic Thinking on Electric Transmission in the Age of AI
AI–fueled electric demand growth will require the U.S. power sector to grow by upwards of 20 percent in the coming decade, writes Cy McGeady, making ensuring this growth a strategic national interest of the United States.

Immigration Policy Solutions to Shortages in Critical Sectors of the U.S. Economy
Labor shortages will affect the affordability of American necessities, including housing, medical care, and groceries. Changes to U.S. immigration policy are the most effective pathways to mitigate the issue, write Thibault Denamiel, Bill Reinsch, Jason Schenker, and Dhari Al-Saleh.

India’s Undeniable Economic Heft and American Economic Security 
As the United States seeks to strengthen an economic firewall against Chinese technology dominance, India is arguably the most significant country it must proactively engage, writes Rick Rossow.

Podcasts

Executive Order on AI and Energy Infrastructure - Emergency Podcast
Listen to the latest episode of the AI Policy Podcast, where Director Greg Allen, H. Andrew Schwartz, and CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program Director Joseph Majkut discuss the Biden administration's Executive Order on Advancing United States Leadership in Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure. They consider the motivation for this measure and its primary goals, its reception among AI and hyperscaler companies, and how the Trump administration might approach AI and energy. 

China's Shots Across the Bow, Nippon Steel Woes, and the H1-B Debate 
Check out this week's episode of the Trade Guys, as Bill Reinsch and Scott Miller look at recent Chinese export controls on critical minerals, President Biden's blocking of the Nippon Steel acquisition of U.S. Steel, and the controversy surrounding H1-B visas.

The Transition: Making American Nuclear Great Again 
As demand for clean, reliable power grows in the U.S. and around the globe, nuclear energy is taking center stage. Listen to this episode of Energy 360 to hear our experts assess how the incoming Trump administration might shape the future of this critical technology.