(NewsUSA) - The U.S. economy remains dynamic and robust, but continued focus on advanced manufacturing is needed to cement U.S. leadership in industries of the future, according to experts at the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), a nonprofit and nonpartisan initiative with a goal of making recommendations to strengthen America's long-term competitiveness in artificial intelligence (AI).

As China seeks to position advanced industries as the main growth engine of its economy, U.S. leadership in AI, and increased investment in cloud infrastructure and enterprise-scale AI could help accelerate innovation in technology, SCSP experts wrote in a recent online article.

Currently, the U.S. is falling behind China in production capacity for advanced industries including semiconductors and clean energy. These areas are crucial to America’s economic competitiveness and national security, and the U.S. production of the world’s high-tech goods has fallen from more than 40% to 18% since 1980.

To maximize U.S. advantages and remain competitive in advanced industries on a global scale, the SCSP experts propose a three-pronged strategy with focus on production, markets, and people.

Begin with production. Invest in manufacturing-innovation programs and promote the adoption of advanced technologies by small and medium-size manufacturers. The U.S. should also create incentives for investment in “smart factories” that capitalize on ways to accelerate innovation with increased flexibility and lower cost.

Secure the markets. Develop a trade policy that secures supply chains for products such as Internet of Things modules, networking components and industrial robots, and reduces reliance on China for production.

Promote and support the workforce. A comprehensive techno-industrial strategy requires investments in human capital. Advanced industries in the U.S. continue to face crippling workforce shortages. Strategies to overcome these shortages include ensuring AI capability in all school classrooms by 2030, lowering immigration barriers for highly-skilled workers, and creating national workforce frameworks for advanced manufacturing.

Although the U.S. economy is on a strong footing, China’s shift toward advanced industries sets the stage for a potential economic and strategy advantage. However, the U.S. can leverage its own existing advantages by proactively driving investments in advanced manufacturing, pursuing a strategic trade policy, and strengthening its workforce, according to SCSP.

Read SCSP's Vision for Competitiveness: Mid-Decade Opportunities for Strategic Victory and visit scsp.ai to learn more.

(NewsUSA) - Threats to global stability continue to evolve to include greater use of artificial intelligence (AI) to promote disinformation, according to experts at the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), a nonprofit and nonpartisan initiative with a mission of making recommendations to strengthen America's long-term competitiveness in AI.

The need for NATO member countries to keep hostile regimes from using AI disinformation to manipulate public opinion is becoming increasingly important.

This “cognitive warfare” or information warfare, is not a new concept, but the digital revolution and use of AI allows bad actors to disseminate deepfakes and AI-augmented content at a previously unfathomable speed.

SCSP experts offer several strategies for how NATO countries can confront the threat of AI-augmented disinformation head-on. “This requires moving beyond the current reactive approach, which focuses on debunking falsehoods,” according to SCSP.

-Monitor disinformation in real-time. Investing in open-source intelligence tools and working with tech companies can help develop the expertise to identify and counter malevolent disinformation campaigns. Also, better authenticity tools are needed to identify altered or AI-generated content.

-Discredit disinformation immediately. NATO must proactively promote its own interests and mission. NATO should provide its own positive narrative to get out ahead of disinformation, and highlight failures of authoritarian regimes, especially on their own digital platforms.

-Initiate partnerships. Establishing and strengthening collaborative relationships with governments, private companies, and civil-society organizations can help NATO develop early warning systems and coordinate stronger and faster responses to disinformation campaigns.

-Foster healthy skepticism. Supporting programs to promote media and digital literacy can help reduce the impact of disinformation. Educating the public to apply critical thinking skills to online information can help build societal resilience against propaganda and voter manipulation.

To achieve these goals, SCSP experts recommend the creation of a disinformation unit within NATO responsible for coordinating intelligence, spearheading counter-messaging efforts, and building strategic partnerships. “Such a unit could leverage the Five Eyes intelligence alliance (the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada), as well as the work of Europol – the European Union’s law-enforcement agency – to bolster and expand information-sharing networks,” according to SCSP.

Visit scsp.ai for more information about the importance of strengthening America’s competitiveness as AI and other emerging technologies are reshaping our national security, economy, and society.

(NewsUSA) - Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform the United States and the world. To promote and inform rapid advancements in AI and maintain America’s global competitiveness, the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), a nonprofit and nonpartisan initiative with a goal of making recommendations to strengthen America's long-term competitiveness in AI, announces the AI+ Summit Series.

The series kicks off with the topic of energy. The AI + Energy Summit, scheduled for September 26, 2024, in Washington, D.C., will bring together policy makers, energy industry leaders, top government and academic energy researchers, and technologists to address the challenges of AI’s energy consumption and develop solutions for a resilient and abundant energy future. The event also aims to address the implications of AI and energy for national security and promote partnerships between AI and energy stakeholders.

AI and other emerging technologies can help the United States take the lead in energy areas including maximizing energy efficiencies, discovering new materials, and enabling new forms of power generation. AI also has a role to play in overcoming energy challenges. The Department of Energy (DOE) already uses AI in several areas including advanced computing, emergency response, environmental modeling, climate forecasting, and materials research.

SCSP’s recent “Action Plan for U.S. Leadership in Next-Generation Energy,” raises many issues related to AI and energy, including recommendations for the government to bring America forward. The AI+ Energy Summit will highlight these and other issues, and promote collaboration to solve problems. The stakes are high; if the U.S. falls short on energy, American adversaries could gain the upper hand in AI leadership, according to SCSP experts.

Visit scsp.ai to learn more about the AI+Energy Summit and the SCSP’s Next-Generation Energy Action Plan.

(NewsUSA) - The United States has fallen behind in applying artificial intelligence to the industrial sector, and changes are needed to maintain America’s national competitiveness, according to a report from the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), a nonprofit and nonpartisan initiative with a goal of making recommendations to strengthen America's long-term competitiveness in artificial intelligence (AI).

The report identifies several technologies that are key to advanced manufacturing competitiveness:

Industrial AI.  Although American startups and Fortune 500 companies are building or already using industrial AI, the U.S. lacks the large-scale national programs to promote data sharing and training of industrial AI models in public and private sectors.

Robotics. Startups and academic institutions in the U.S. lead the world in robotics innovation, with goals of deploying humanoid robots at scale within the next decade, but China currently leads the world in the deployment of industrial robotics.

Industrial Internet of Things. Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platforms may ultimately allow manufacturers to create whole-factory “operating systems.” While U.S. firms offer scalable IIoT platforms that China has struggled to match, Chinese firms have found their niche in the underlying hardware for these platforms.

Advanced Networks. The spread of public 5G networks continues worldwide. The U.S. and allies continue to take steps to mitigate safety concerns posed by Chinese networking components. However, China is prioritizing 5G networks as a way to increase leadership in the geopolitical tech competition.

In the report, the SCSP offers seven steps for leaders to increase and improve the U.S. leadership in advanced manufacturing:

Launch: National moonshots can strengthen the industrial system-of-systems and pilot programs can help strengthen the U.S. industrial base as a whole.

Organize. Policy coordination is needed to support core manufacturing technology innovation programs. SCSP calls for the creation of a White House-level office to enhance policy coordination, and strengthening federal manufacturing programs to bring urgency to the advanced manufacturing agenda.

Innovate. A revitalized approach to research and development funding would promote necessary innovation, according to SCSP. For example, a public-private “focused research organization,” modeled on Bell Labs could accelerate manufacturing technology innovation.

Promote. Innovative programs and financing are needed to promote adoption of advanced manufacturing paradigms, with strategies such as consolidating and leveraging tax policies and credit for small and medium-sized manufacturers.

Pushback. The U.S. should build trade alliances with trusted allies and partners to create new markets for U.S. manufacturers, while strengthening economic ties and resisting against the PRC’s anticompetitive practices.

Defend. Defending the U.S. industrial base against AI-enabled cyberattacks requires a new approach to industrial cyberdefense as digitalization expands the attack surface.

Cultivate. More training is needed to address talent shortages and skills gaps. The creation of a one-stop resource would help organizations match talent to job opportunities in advanced manufacturing.

Visit scsp.ai to learn more and to read the full National Action Plan for U.S. Leadership in Advanced Manufacturing. 

(NewsUSA) - As new technology continues to reshape the global landscape, the United States must prepare, invest, and organize for the arrival of increasingly powerful artificial intelligence (AI), according to a new report from the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP).

The report, “Vision for Competitiveness: Mid-Decade Opportunities for Strategic Victory,” was written by the experts at SCSP, a nonprofit and nonpartisan initiative with a goal of making recommendations to strengthen America's long-term competitiveness in AI and other emerging technologies.

The authors argue that six different technologies will determine national power. Those technologies are: artificial general intelligence (AGI), biotechnology, advanced computing and microelectronics, next-generation energy, advanced networks, and advanced manufacturing. The authors emphasize the need for the United States to master the power of innovation and to catch up to other countries in critical areas including advanced networks, batteries, hypersonics, and drones, while also maintaining its leadership in AI. 

The SCSP report outlined three pillars for improving competitiveness in AI and other emerging technology:

Pillar 1: Reimagine the Endless Frontier. New efforts are needed to push boundaries and explore the frontiers of AI and emerging technologies through the creation and support of national programs for public/private partnerships to modernize institutions.

Pillar 2: Restore peace and security through AI and emerging technologies. AI and emerging technologies can play an important role in strengthening the military and updating intelligence capabilities to reflect the modern era. In addition, America must fortify alliances, build new partnerships, and create international forums to address the issues and challenges raised by AI and other technology.

Pillar 3: Catalyze enduring economic advantage in the AI era. Strong economic performance remains the backbone of American power and global influence, and the report emphasizes the opportunities for the use of AI to grow the economy, and improve society. Incorporating the latest advances in strategic technology into the economy has the potential to increase prosperity for all Americans.

Visit scsp.ai to learn more and to download the full report.

(NewsUSA) - With summer break upon us, families are gearing up to spend more time at home together, leading to increased demand on their internet connections to support various devices. On average, internet users ages 16-64 already spend 47 hours per week online, but as the heat sets in, families are likely to find themselves retreating indoors and relying even more heavily on robust Wi-Fi for everything from streaming movies to staying connected with loved ones.

This heightened need makes a mesh Wi-Fi system crucial for maintaining consistent coverage within your household, eradicating dead zones, and ensuring a stable, reliable internet connection. High-speed routers, mesh Wi-Fi systems, and smart home hubs have facilitated an improved internet experience. By strategically distributing multiple access points throughout your home, mesh networks guarantee seamless connectivity in every room, including notoriously hard-to-reach areas like basements or backyards.

A mesh network’s adaptable design allows you to add nodes—small radio transmitters that act as wireless routers and endpoints in a mesh network—effortlessly within all corners of your house, accommodating guests or even extending the network for outdoor activities. These mesh networks, like those found in whole-home Wi-Fi systems, revolutionize home connectivity with their unmatched flexibility and reliability. As opposed to a single central router, these systems connect devices through multiple nodes, creating a resilient web of connections.

This design means your internet service isn’t tied to one point. Through self-healing capabilities, if one node fails, the data seamlessly reroutes through alternative paths, maintaining uninterrupted connectivity. Unlike traditional Wi-Fi extenders, mesh Wi-Fi systems deliver faster speeds because the mesh router and nodes collaborate as a unified network. This setup provides dependable connectivity that smart home systems and interconnected devices, like thermostats, security systems, and smart appliances, need to run.

Hughes, a leader in home Wi-Fi technology, recently introduced new Hughesnet® service plans that are transforming connectivity and accessibility in rural America. These plans come equipped with a Wi-Fi modem featuring Wi-Fi 6 technology, delivering improved speed, enhanced security, and better performance for multiple devices. To further extend the range and assist with factors that can influence the reach of your Wi-Fi signal, including a home’s square footage, number of floors, or wall construction, Mesh Wi-Fi Nodes are also available as add-ons. The new Hughesnet plans enhance the internet experience with unlimited data and decreased latency, ensuring even the most remote locations can enjoy the benefits of a robust and reliable internet connection.

A stable and dependable Wi-Fi network is the key to a blissful, connected home life, allowing families to enjoy their favorite activities without the nagging worry of signal strength or dead zones. This summer, as everyone gathers under one roof, a high-quality and secure Wi-Fi connection becomes indispensable. On those sweltering days when venturing outside is out of the question, kids can dive into their computer games, mom can break a sweat with Peloton, and dad can master new recipes on YouTube—all simultaneously. Embracing mesh networks for seamless wall-to-wall Wi-Fi coverage eliminates the frustration of limited connectivity, ensuring every family member remains effortlessly connected and entertained.

(NewsUSA) - Experts from industry and government, along with academic leaders and interested citizens from across the country, participated in a vibrant exchange of ideas about initiatives in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.  

The AI Expo for National Competitiveness and Ash Carter Exchange were held in Washington, D.C., on May 7-8, 2024, hosted by Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), a nonprofit and nonpartisan initiative with a goal of making recommendations to strengthen America's long-term competitiveness in AI and other emerging technologies. 

The AI Expo saw strategic tech ideas shared, key collaborative relationships formed, and the gap between cutting-edge innovation and safeguarding our national security was bridged. Presentations and discussions addressed America’s long-term competitiveness in emerging technologies with regard to national security, the economy, and society.

The AI Expo and the co-located Ash Carter Exchange brought together over 10,000 attendees, 150 exhibitors, and 440 speakers. The two events featured insights from thought leaders on the future of technology and private-public relationships. Senior government officials including National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, United States Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General C.Q. Brown, Jr., and United States Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke to attendees about the challenges facing our nation and outlined their visions for maintaining U.S. competitiveness. In addition, the Expo exhibitors included some of the largest companies in the United States as well as start-ups.

Multiple stages, special event rooms, and other venues included a Talent Marketplace and Bookstore. The Talent Marketplace attracted professionals at all career stages, offering opportunities to learn about new roles, network with peers, and learn about educational opportunities at leading universities. The Bookstore provided attendees and speakers a space to delve into new ideas at the forefront of technology and innovation by displaying over 100 books and hosting in-person conversations with some of the authors. 

SCSP is already looking ahead to hosting the next AI Expo for National Competitiveness in 2025, building on this year's success. Visit scsp.ai to learn more about SCSP and to sign up for information about next year’s expo. Meanwhile, look for videos coming soon the AI Expo on the SCSP YouTube Channel.

(NewsUSA) - New and emerging technology continues to transform all areas of government activity, and the United States Intelligence Community (IC) is no exception, according to experts at the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), a bipartisan nonprofit organization.

As the geostrategic rivalry between the U.S. and the Peoples’ Republic of China intensifies, so does the need to harness the latest technology to improve the effectiveness of the IC. In SCSP’s second Intelligence Interim Panel Report (IPR), Intelligence Innovation: Repositioning for Future Technology Competition, experts highlight four priorities that can help the U.S. extend and retain its edge in IC with nimble use of technology and a focus on innovation.

Make the most of GenAI. Use of cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence has the potential to reinvent how intelligence is not only collected, but also analyzed, produced, disseminated, and evaluated.

Reimagine partnerships at home and abroad. Networked alliances are the future of intelligence cooperation, and technology can open up new inroads to identify domestic talent and novel intelligence tools.

Reinvent a team. Creating new public-private partnerships can help the IC access open and commercially available data and take advantage of technology being developed in the private sector.

Increase IC support. The right mix of expertise, technology tools, and private sector links can help the IC respond quickly to information and misinformation, and support strategic government communications in the digital space.

The SCSP report further recommends the need to identify and streamline communication channels across the elements of the IC and foster collaboration with any agencies that play roles in public communications, and increase expertise on the information operations used by adversaries.

For more information, including expert discussions of the report, visit scsp.ai.

(NewsUSA) - Want to learn more about the latest innovations in artificial intelligence?

Don’t miss the first-ever AI Expo for National Competitiveness, which takes place on May 7-8, 2024, in Washington, D.C. at the D.C. Convention Center.

The event, sponsored by the Special Competitive Studies Project, is meant to spark an exchange of ideas and initiatives related to the intersection of AI, emerging technology, and national security.

The AI Expo provides a unique opportunity to spotlight companies and organizations that play critical roles in the ability of the United States to be competitive on a global scale.

“Witness firsthand the groundbreaking technologies poised to maintain U.S. leadership on the world stage,” says SCSP President and CEO Ylli Bajraktari. “Dive into meaningful dialogues with experts and enthusiasts alike, all with a shared vision: to solidify the United States’ position as the leader in critical, emerging technologies.”

The Expo will bring together experts from a range of fields to explore the key areas of AI and emerging technology that impact our national security, economy, and society.

The agenda features more than 300 renown speakers.

SCSP is a nonprofit and nonpartisan initiative with a goal of making recommendations to strengthen America's long-term competitiveness as artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies reshape national security, the economy, and society.

The Expo is free and open to the public, and offers a range of opportunities for sponsors, exhibitors, and participants. This event will not be livestreamed, so be sure to get your ticket! 

For more information, visit expo.scsp.ai.

(Raoul Lowery Contreras) - Joe Costello did not expect to be pioneering the next era of internet equity, but this passionate entrepreneur finds himself on the frontlines of the Digital Divide. With his company Kwikbit, Costello, a successful entrepreneur, is empowering underserved and unserved mobile home communities by deploying cutting-edge internet service through a price model infused with empathy. Costello sees a world where everyone has fast, inexpensive internet - he believes that it's a utility and should be treated as such.

Kwikbit is doing its part by expanding its impact on communities large and small, including over 20,000 mobile homes across ten states. By the end of 2024, Costello aims to be on the ground with this 1 gigabit symmetrical internet in over 150 parks, adding 10,000 residents to their service. The company will also receive funds from the California Public Utilities Commission to pilot a program to serve hundreds of unserved mobile homes. Kwikbit and Costello are a testament to what it means to be an entrepreneur in the 21st century. 

Early in his career, Costello understood a critical problem with rapidly evolving technology: the fastest and best products first reach the most privileged communities. In the 1990s, mainly the wealthy and tech enthusiasts could access the internet through cable or DSL. As search engines emerged and computers became affordable, more people slowly adopted the technology. Luckily, this broadband could be used and supplied through existing infrastructure. But over the next two decades, through the evolution of the internet from search engines to smartphones, the public caught on to the incredible possibilities of a global online network and demand increased significantly. 

The internet story signifies a remarkable transformation. What began as a specialized tool for a select few has become an indispensable part of most people's lives. This shift has had a profound impact, enriching our experiences and propelling society towards greater productivity and efficiency. 

The internet's exponential growth, particularly the rise of video-heavy applications, has exposed a critical limitation: speed. The infrastructure that fueled the initial internet boom simply can't handle the demands of today's data-hungry apps. 

The current solution pushed by major internet providers is fiber optic cables. Fiber offers the blazing-fast speeds needed for the next generation of internet, through light transmission. However, widespread fiber deployment presents a significant obstacle: the lack of existing fiber optic cables reaching individual homes. Implementing this technology will require massive investments, posing a complex challenge for the future of internet infrastructure. 

"Yes, we want to have the fastest fiber cable in every home and business in America. But what people don't realize is that it's going to take decades for fiber to roll out, and they're going to need something else in the meantime," said Costello in a recent interview.

Unfortunately, as fiber optic internet is made available, the wealthy communities are receiving the new capability first. This creates an enormous problem for our country because entire communities, particularly low-income communities, are being left behind. 

"You cannot be a functional citizen of the US in the 2020s unless you have high-speed internet," said Costello. "You will fall behind in every way – opportunities, information, finances, civic engagement, healthcare, and education. And your kids will fall behind even more!"

Costello's passion for bridging the digital divide catalyzed the founding of Kwikbit Internet.  It started with the development of a new super high-speed wireless technology that can provide the same kind of fast internet service as fiber while being able to be deployed much more quickly and economically. This new wireless technology is called WiGig, or 60 GHz Wi-Fi.

During the pandemic, when many people were suffering from a lack of viable internet, Costello decided that the new technology should be utilized to serve the unserved and underserved. There are many communities that need better internet, but mobile home parks represent one very large group. Kwikbit Internet is 100% focused on providing its high-speed internet to mobile home parks with the goal of letting no mobile home park resident go without this critical new utility.  If all mobile home residents lived in one state, it would be the third largest in the country.

Thankfully, the government has been stepping in to help bridge the digital divide in a number of ways. One of the most successful programs has been the Affordable Connectivity Program, or ACP, which partially subsidizes internet bills for more than 20 million low-income households, with more than half of recipients being over 50 years old. Ironically, just as the federal government is funding a new program with $42 Billion to bring fiber to more underserved users, Congress is pulling the plug on the ACP. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is one senator advocating for the ACP's termination, though Texas has the 4th largest number of ACP recipients at 1.67 million households. 

As the ACP's fate remains uncertain, the Digital Divide widens. 

Fortunately, some states are working to support broadband expansion. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is using federal funds to build broadband for all, including over $800,000 to Kwikbit for deploying its fixed wireless internet in unserved mobile home parks in Southern California. 

From California to Florida, mobile home parks and hard-to-reach communities have a clear need that has only deepened with rising internet costs. 

Kwikbit is blazing a trail toward the promise of the internet for all, one community at a time. Closing the Digital Divide takes tenacity. The time for an all-of-the-above broadband investment strategy is now, one that includes wireless gigabit and fiber technology creating a new era of internet access for those who need it most.