Today's technological revolution is central to competition with geopolitical rivals. They pose a real challenge to our safety. And they are the engine of historic possibilities for our economies, our democracies, our people and our planet.
In other words, security, stability and prosperity are no longer just analog issues.
The test before us is whether we can harness the power of this era of disruption and channel it into greater stability, greater prosperity, and greater opportunity.
President Biden is determined to not only pass this “technical test,” but to pass it.
Our ability to design, develop, and deploy technology will determine our ability to shape the future of technology. And of course, operating from a position of strength allows us to set standards and promote norms around the world.
However, our advantage does not only come from domestic strength.
It is about unity with the majority of the world who share our vision for a vibrant, open and secure technology future, and unparalleled allies and partners who can work together in the common purpose of passing the “technology test.” born from the network. ”
We are committed to “digital solidarity” rather than “digital sovereignty.”
On May 6, the State Department released the U.S. International Cyberspace and Digital Strategy, which treats digital solidarity as its north star. Unity informs our approach to all major underlying technologies, not just digital technologies.
So today I'd like to share with you five ways to put this into practice.
First, we use technology to improve not just our employees and friends, but humanity as a whole.
The United States believes that emerging and fundamental technologies can and should be used to advance development and prosperity, promote respect for human rights, and solve common global challenges.
Some of our strategic rivals are working toward very different goals. They use digital technology and genomic data collection to monitor populations and suppress human rights.
Almost everywhere I go, I hear concerns from government officials and citizens alike about the use of these dystopian technologies. You will also hear our positive vision and unwavering commitment to embracing technology as a path to modernization and opportunity.
Our job is to use diplomacy to further grow this consensus and internationalize and institutionalize our vision of technology for good.
That's why our second initiative is about governance, shaping the rules of the road to ensure that foundational technology upholds our democratic values and protects us from harm.
At home, we have released guidance that will shape how we, and the world, think about safe, secure, and trustworthy AI.
Through the President's AI Executive Order, we are strengthening AI standards and protecting Americans' privacy.
The private sector is an important partner in this effort. That's why we're working with leading AI companies on a series of voluntary initiatives, including committing to security testing new products before they're released and developing tools to help users recognize AI-generated content. It's done.
We work with our partners to set cyber norms and uphold them around the world.
Of course, to set the rules of the road, the United States must compete around the world with technologies that shape digital and physical experiences and, by extension, geopolitical reality. That's his third line of our technology diplomacy.
Our experience with 5G has taught us that we cannot become complacent and allow strategic competitors to dominate the technology that forms the backbone of the global economy and determines where and how information flows.
That's why we are making the most of our diplomatic tools to ensure that innovative companies from the United States and our partners can compete fairly for opportunities that help sustain and expand a secure, open, and resilient technological world. I am.
And in accordance with the principles of digital solidarity, we are committed to working not just with U.S. companies, but with all countries and companies committed to the same vision.
Our ability to compete effectively abroad depends on a fourth line of diplomatic effort: building resilient and reliable technology ecosystems.
Currently, the world's technology manufacturing infrastructure is concentrated in dangerously small geographical areas. In the event of a military conflict or natural disaster, these supply chains may be disrupted.
To reduce that risk, the United States is building technology partnerships to make critical technology supply chains stronger, more diverse, and more secure. This also includes critical minerals that are essential to the expansion of clean energy technologies.
Fifth, and finally, we take a “small garden, high fence” approach to protecting our most sensitive technology.
We cannot tolerate technology developed by the United States being used against us or our friends, falling into the wrong hands, or contributing to the advancement of the military capabilities of our strategic competitors.
That is why we have issued carefully tailored restrictions on exports of advanced semiconductors. It is a national security imperative that these technologies do not support or accelerate the military modernization of countries that seek to challenge the United States.
(Official State Department photo: Chuck Kennedy)
Perhaps there is no better example of this than the work we did together in Ukraine. When Russia began its war of aggression, it exposed the country's infrastructure to an onslaught of cyberattacks.
The United States, international partners, and the technology community all understood the need to help Ukrainians up their digital hatches. There, we helped harden networks, move critical government data to the cloud, and strengthen the resiliency of national communications and other critical infrastructure.
That is the practice of digital solidarity. And this is the kind of collaboration we want to expand and apply around the world.
Now, even the most visionary among us don't know exactly what the future of technology will look like or how emerging technologies will be used.
Together, we can seize this extraordinary turning point, reflect our best values, advance our interests, and make life a little more secure, a little more secure, a little more prosperous, and You can shape a future that is just a little bit richer. More opportunities for everyone.
That is the basic meaning of passing the technical exam. That's what we want to do together.
Note to readers
This Dip Note is based on the latest edition of the flagship email “From the Secretary's Desk,'' which features remarks and speeches by the Secretary on important current events. Please sign up to receive this email.
