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Commentary

Setting the Policy Agenda on Innovation Issues

  • Alongside our in-depth policy reports, ITIF’s long-running Innovation Files blog serves as a forum where analysts provide quick takes, quips, and commentary on the latest in technology and innovation policy.
  • Other blogs from ITIF include In the Arena, Rob Atkinson’s notes on the battle of ideas (also on Substack at policyarena.org), plus special series, such as The Brussels Effect, examining how the EU exports its regulatory agenda; Defending Digital, examining spurious critiques of the tech industry; and Innovate4Health, covering the intersection between intellectual property and life sciences innovation.
  • ITIF analysts also frequently contribute op-eds and commentary pieces to leading publications around the world.

April 10, 2026|Blogs

Opposition to Automation at the CRA Misses the Point

Opposition to AI automation at the Canada Revenue Agency misses the point. Smarter systems can improve targeting, boost compliance, and deliver better results with fewer resources than a labour-intensive enforcement model.

April 9, 2026|Blogs

Time for US Spread Sovereignty

EU regulators have targeted U.S. tech firms for years, demanding digital sovereignty, stronger consumer protections, platform openness, and structural remedies for dominance. The United States should apply that same logic to “Big Spread”—Nutella’s market power warrants investigation, regulation, and potential breakup.

April 9, 2026|Blogs

Age Gating Won’t Fix Social Media Harms in Canada

Canada is considering banning social media for teenagers, but the evidence suggests this approach is misplaced. Harm is not driven by access alone, but by specific online experiences, and a blanket ban would do little to address them.

April 9, 2026|Blogs

America's Living Library Act Would Expand Access to Nature's Drug Discovery Potential

America’s Living Library Act would turn U.S. biodiversity into a strategic innovation asset by fueling AI-enabled drug discovery, strengthening biopharma R&D, and helping America stay ahead in the global biotech race.

April 7, 2026|Blogs

Four Reasons New AI Data Centers Won’t Overwhelm the Electricity Grid

“Emergency” legislation like the Sanders-Ocasio-Cortez AI Data Center Moratorium Act is not necessary to protect Americans from rate increases. Concerns about energy and data centers are misplaced, and there are plenty of options to ensure a smooth path to growth.

April 6, 2026|Blogs

Fact of the Week: One in Ten Cars Sold in Europe in December 2025 Was Chinese

Sales of Chinese hybrids and plug-in hybrids in Europe increased by a factor of 14 between August 2024 and August 2025

April 3, 2026|Blogs

Trump Pharma Tariffs: Wrong Rx for U.S. Patients, Manufacturing, and Innovation

The Trump administration’s Section 232 pharmaceutical tariffs will needlessly raise drug costs, harm U.S. patients, and undermine both domestic manufacturing and global biopharmaceutical innovation, while better policy options exist to strengthen the industry without these damaging side effects.

April 2, 2026|Blogs

Europe’s Competitiveness Crisis Requires More Than Technocratic Tinkering

Fixing the EU’s productivity, innovation, and competitiveness crisis requires a fundamental political reorientation. Until it makes that shift, expect more reports, more tinkering, and more decline.

April 2, 2026|Blogs

“Made in USA” Claims Need Better Data, Not More Liability

While false “Made in USA” claims are a real problem, the solution is not holding online marketplaces liable but strengthening data infrastructure and verification systems that enable regulators, consumers, and AI tools to more effectively identify and enforce legitimate claims.

March 30, 2026|Blogs

States Should Learn from China on Sidewalk Delivery Robots

China has surged ahead of the United States in adopting sidewalk delivery robots due to more proactive and coordinated policy experimentation, offering lessons for U.S. policymakers on how real-world pilots and clearer regulatory frameworks can accelerate deployment of autonomous delivery technology.

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