January 15, 2026
AI and Policy, Both Foreign and Domestic
In an episode recorded just before Christmas, Darren interviews Janet Egan, Senior Fellow and Deputy Director of the Technology and National Security Program at CNAS, about AI policy and its implications for Australia. Janet (who started her career in the Australian government) frames the current AI landscape as a two-horse race between the US and China, given vastly asymmetric investment levels. She introduces “compute policy” as a tractable governance lever, explaining that the physical infrastructure required for AI—specialised chips, data centres, and energy—offers regulatable chokepoints unlike easily transferable data or algorithms. The US strategy focuses on scale and removing barriers to advancement, while China, constrained by export controls on advanced semiconductors, pursues a diffusion-oriented approach emphasising open-source models and practical applications.
Listen to the full interview on Australia in the World.
More from CNAS
-
Will India Halt Russian Oil Imports Under India-U.S. Trade Deal? U.S. Expert Lisa Curtis Explains
Video
Top foreign policy expert and Director, Centre for New American Security, Lisa Curtis discusses the likelihood of India halting imports of Russian oil under the new India-U.S....
By Lisa Curtis
-
Congressional Support Key for Sustaining Momentum of U.S., UK, Australia Partnership
Commentary
This article was originally published on The Hill. The fiscal 2026 defense appropriations bill which will be voted on by the House this week allocates $27.2 billion for naval ...
By Lisa Curtis & Ryan Claffey
-
India-EU Trade Deal: A New Superpower Pact | PM Modi Holds Talks With EU Leaders
Video
Lisa Curtis, Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, joined CNN News18 to discuss the recent India-EU trade deal. Watch the f...
By Lisa Curtis
-
Japan Wants Calm, China Not So Much
Commentary
This article was originally published in Asian Military Review. One of the most serious China-Japan diplomatic crises in recent years unfolded in November after Chinese offici...
By Derek Grossman
