Last week, Congress passed the long awaited CHIPS and Science Act, which will incentivize domestic chip manufacturing, and invest in advanced research in areas, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and robotics. Along with reinvigorating US research and manufacturing, the bill will also empower Washington policymakers to bolster US innovation in strategic industries in the face of growing concerns about China’s economic and technological ambitions.
Lindsay Gorman, the senior fellow for emerging technologies at the German Marshall Fund’s Alliance for Securing Democracy, said the bill would put the United States on a more even footing with China, which has spent vast amounts to subsidize its industries. “We’ve taken our innovation advantages for granted,” she said, adding that “there’s nothing like a dedicated competitor to snap us into action.”
