White House official, lawmaker call for amplifying US tech policy abroad

On Wednesday evening, a White House official and Republican lawmaker said that the exportation of both the U.S. technology stack and regulatory regime is key to ensuring American artificial intelligence dominance, further underscoring the Trump administration’s broader AI policy posture. 

Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., and White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios reiterated the ongoing concerns dominating tech policy both on the Hill and in the Executive Branch, with Budd specifically citing the People’s Republic of China as the primary nation with the technology to beat.

“It’s very concerning what PRC is doing in the world … and if we let that become dominant, it is a means of control. And that’s why I think that our worldview is that of freedom and of prosperity and a personal choice. And so if we allow our models to dominate, then our worldview begins to dominate,” Budd said. “And I think that’s what’s best for humanity. I think that’s what’s best for the world.”

Kratsios agreed, keeping with his pro-tech diffusion stance. 

“I cannot, you know, overstate … how important it is for us to make sure that the U.S. technology stack is dominant globally,” Kratsios said, adding that the country should be ensuring that the U.S. becomes the technology supplier of choice.

“We are so blessed right now in this moment in time where the U.S. has the very best chips, it has the very best algorithms, and has the very best applications,” he said. “Not only that, we have a world and a market where everybody wants our stuff, and we’re in a position to export the most dominant and powerful technology the world has ever seen to so many different buyers.”

Beyond the hardware and software, both Kratsios and Budd supported the light-touch regulatory regime that President Donald Trump favors.

“We haven’t succeeded by some secret,” Kratsios said. “We know what the rules are here. And I think that’s another great sort of export that we try to share.”

“Regulatory clarity … it can be our competitive advantage. I don’t think it is now. Ambiguity causes companies to want to move elsewhere, so let’s give them a clear environment,” Budd said. “Let’s reward their entrepreneurship.”

To further fuel U.S. AI dominance, Kratsios and Budd supported continued funding for scientific research and development that will advance AI applications. Kratsios singled out recently introduced legislation from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, that would establish an AI sandbox within OSTP.

“We have the talent, we have the innovation, we have the universities, we have the research, we have the national labs,” Budd said.