Renewing American Innovation

Thoughtful, strategic analysis on the U.S. innovation ecosystem and technological competitiveness for national and economic security

RAI aims to advance policies and partnerships that strengthen national and economic security by driving rapid technological innovation. We seek to develop intellectual and strategic frameworks that help the United States and its allies manage economic dependencies, navigate geopolitical risks, and maintain leadership in critical and emerging technologies such as semiconductors, quantum technology, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology. 

By working closely with the U.S. government, the private sector, academia, and international partners, we work to shape strategies that promote the commercialization of innovation, address workforce challenges, and build the capacity of governments to support effective industrial strategies.

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Photo: Bettmann/Contributor/GETTY IMAGES

The Billion-Dollar Chip: Who Can Afford to Design the Future?

As the cost of designing leading-edge chips approaches $1 billion, frontier semiconductor design is becoming accessible to fewer firms. The United States must reduce the underlying cost of design to preserve innovation and competitiveness across critical industries.

Newsletter by Shruti Sharma — September 11, 2026

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The Billion-Dollar Chip: Who Can Afford to Design the Future?

As the cost of designing leading-edge chips approaches $1 billion, frontier semiconductor design is becoming accessible to fewer firms. The United States must reduce the underlying cost of design to preserve innovation and competitiveness across critical industries.

Newsletter by Shruti Sharma — September 11, 2026

Lessons from Covid-19 for Global Health Security

Health access is fundamentally a systems challenge that depends on the interaction between the innovation system, which generates new technologies through research and investment, and the delivery system, which manufactures, distributes, and administers medicines.

Report by Anne Pritchett, Alexander Kersten, and Shruti Sharma — August 27, 2026

Powering Innovation: Data Centers, Compute, and U.S. Competitiveness

AI, cloud computing, and digital services are making compute a strategic resource. This paper examines how the United States can expand data center infrastructure while addressing community concerns and strengthening innovation, economic growth, and competitiveness.

Report by Sujai Shivakumar and Shruti Sharma — August 11, 2026

The Costs of Weaponizing the U.S. IP System

Proposals to restrict Chinese participation in the U.S. patent system may impose costs on Beijing—but could they also undermine America's own innovation advantage? This commentary examines the direct, indirect, and systemic consequences of weaponizing the U.S. IP system.

Commentary by Chris Borges — August 5, 2026

The Role of Regional Networks in Twenty-First-Century Industrial Policy

America's next era of technological leadership will be won in its regions. Connecting research, manufacturing, and commercialization through regional innovation ecosystems can help turn scientific breakthroughs into economic and strategic advantage.

Commentary by Sujai Shivakumar — August 3, 2026

Tracking Global Compulsory Licensing Trends in Biopharmaceuticals

From HIV/AIDS to Covid-19, global health emergencies have revived calls for compulsory licensing. But history shows that innovation, technology transfer, and manufacturing capacity—not patent waivers alone—drive access to lifesaving medicines.

Commentary by Alexander Kersten and Shruti Sharma — July 22, 2026

Audio Briefs

Tracking Global Compulsory Licensing Trends in Biopharmaceuticals

An audio version of "⁠Tracking Global Compulsory Licensing Trends in Biopharmaceuticals⁠," a new commentary by CSIS’s Alexander Kersten and Shruti Sharma. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Alexander Kersten and Shruti Sharma — July 22, 2026

Audio Briefs

AI Has a Memory Problem

As AI data centers consume a growing share of global memory supply, shortages of advanced memory chips are emerging as a critical constraint on AI deployment and industrial competitiveness. Policymakers must expand memory and packaging capacity to avoid future bottlenecks.

Newsletter by Shruti Sharma — June 25, 2026