Washington, July 25 (IANS) The Trump administration this week defended an ambitious overhaul of America’s scientific research enterprise, arguing that artificial intelligence, quantum computing and advanced manufacturing will be central to keeping the United States ahead of China in technologies that will shape the coming decades, a strategy with implications for key partners such as India.
Appearing before the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Director Michael Kratsios outlined what he described as a new “Golden Age of Science”, while lawmakers sharply divided along party lines over funding, research priorities and the future direction of American science.
“Our economic leadership and technological dominance cannot be taken for granted in a rapidly changing world,” Kratsios told lawmakers. “The United States no longer stands alone as an industrial and scientific superpower. Unleashing a golden age of American science requires new focus and reforms.”
Kratsios said a report released by his office proposes reforms to make federal research more flexible, support individual scientists, strengthen links between scientific discovery and manufacturing, and place artificial intelligence at the centre of future research.
A major pillar is the administration’s “Genesis Mission”, which Kratsios described as “the crown jewel of American AI for science”. He said more than 15 federal agencies have committed over $5 billion to AI-driven scientific research spanning the Departments of Energy, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, NASA, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and others.
Republican lawmakers repeatedly framed the initiative as essential to maintaining America’s technological advantage over China.
Committee Chairman Brian Babin warned that “the Chinese Communist Party has made artificial intelligence a national priority and is spending accordingly”, adding that Beijing continues targeting American universities and laboratories to obtain cutting-edge research.
Kratsios argued that Washington must become “opinionated about what the most important priorities are for America”, identifying AI, quantum computing, fusion energy and space technologies as strategic sectors where the United States must retain leadership.Democrats, however, accused the administration of undermining the very scientific ecosystem it says it wants to strengthen.
Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren argued that reductions in graduate admissions, uncertainty over research funding and proposed changes to grant policies were weakening the American research base while China was expanding investment in science and recruiting researchers from the United States. She said the administration’s actions were “strengthen(ing) the hand of China while decimating the US research enterprise.”
Several Democratic members questioned proposed reductions in National Science Foundation funding, alleged political interference in research grants and the dismissal of scientific advisory bodies. Kratsios denied that the White House was involved in individual NSF grant decisions and defended the administration’s emphasis on what it calls “gold standard science”, saying federally funded research should be “reproducible, transparent” and trustworthy.
China featured repeatedly throughout the hearing. Republican lawmakers raised concerns about Chinese efforts to acquire advanced research, dependence on Chinese supply chains in biotechnology and semiconductors, and competition in open-source artificial intelligence. Kratsios said the administration was committed to ensuring that “the future of American leadership in AI is contingent upon having a vibrant, open and closed source set of models” while encouraging domestic semiconductor manufacturing and AI infrastructure.
–IANS
lkj/rs