March 03, 2023
It’s Time to Appoint a US Special Envoy for Semiconductors
A seismic shift in U.S. semiconductor strategy is at risk of short-circuiting. The cause? Disconnected diplomacy.
Semiconductors emerged from relative obscurity to the top of national security-related policy discussions last year, such that they were highlighted in U.S. President Joe Biden’s most recent State of the Union address. However, though messaging is forefront, it is not coordinated. Like the semiconductor supply chain, this issue is complex, with both domestic and international implications.
A special envoy for semiconductors could demonstrate U.S. leadership without acting unilaterally.
A successful U.S. semiconductor strategy, therefore, requires a special envoy for semiconductors.
Think about it: For an issue that is a top priority for the United States, messaging comes from the Commerce Department, State Department, and the White House, with no clear line of responsibility. While the United States created a special envoy for critical and emerging technology, this position has a broader mission, which includes biotechnology, AI, and quantum. Semiconductors are important enough to warrant a dedicated person at the State Department.
Read the full article from The Diplomat.
More from CNAS
-
Energy, Economics & Security / Technology & National Security
Sharper: Chips and Export ControlsAs competition between the United States and China has intensified, advanced technology has become the latest battlefield. After years of restricting China’s access to advance...
By Charles Horn
-
Technology & National Security
Scaling Laws: The Open Questions Surrounding Open Source AI with Nathan Lambert and Keegan McBrideKeegan McBride, adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security joins to explore the current state of open source AI model development and associated policy qu...
By Keegan McBride
-
Energy, Economics & Security / Technology & National Security
Export Controls: Janet Egan, Sam Levy, and Peter Harrell on the White House's Semiconductor DecisionJanet Egan, a senior fellow with the Technology and National Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, discussed the Trump administration’s recent decision t...
By Janet Egan
-
Indo-Pacific Security / Technology & National Security
America Should Rent, Not Sell, AI Chips to ChinaSelling AI chips to China outright reduces America's AI lead for little benefit....
By Janet Egan & Lennart Heim