October 19, 2017

The Policy Dimension of Leading in AI

By Elsa B. Kania

The artificial intelligence (AI) revolution is creating new challenges for law, policy, and governance at domestic and international levels. Although advances in AI could causeproductivity growth and spark a new industrial revolution, current trends in robotics and automation will likely cause unprecedented economic dislocation, particularly by replacing low-skilled jobs. Projected to increase GDP by 14% as of 2030, AI is on track to become a critical accelerant of global economic growth. Yet the greatest economic benefits from AI will likely go to China and the United States, with more modest gains in growth and productivity for developing countries. Such uneven distribution of AI’s benefits could exacerbate inequality, resulting in higher concentrations of wealth within and among nations. In addition, algorithmic bias tends to compound human and systemic biases, compounding societal inequities. Concurrently, international competition to leverage military applications of AI has provoked concerns of an “AI arms race.” Looking forward, these trends could disrupt domestic and international politics alike.

Read the full op-ed in Lawfare.

  • Commentary
    • War on the Rocks
    • April 10, 2023
    AI's Inhuman Advantage

    AI agents’ victories demonstrate that machines can dramatically outperform humans in command and control, a potential major advantage in war....

    By Paul Scharre

  • Commentary
    • Foreign Affairs
    • April 4, 2023
    America Can Win the AI Race

    If the United States wants to win the AI competition, it must approach Beijing carefully and construct its own initiatives thoughtfully....

    By Paul Scharre

  • Podcast
    • April 2, 2023
    AI Military Competition: Tactical, Operational, and Strategic Implications

    Paul Scharre, Vice President and Director of Studies at CNAS, joins ChinaTalk to discuss AI, military, strategy, and US-China geopolitics. Listen to the full episode and more...

    By Paul Scharre

  • Podcast
    • March 28, 2023
    Artificial Intelligence and Great Power Competition, With Paul Scharre

    Paul Scharre, the vice president and director of Studies at the Center for a New American Security, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how artificial intelligence is r...

    By Paul Scharre

View All Reports View All Articles & Multimedia