National Competitiveness

Please join ITIF for an important policy conference on what U.S. policymakers must do to prevent America from suffering a catastrophic defeat in its techno-economic-trade war with China. At stake are vital production capabilities in the advanced, traded-sector industries that provide the foundation for economic strength and national security in the 21st century.

Join us at the GTIPA (Global Trade & Innovation Policy Alliance) Summit 2026.

Join ITIF for an expert panel discussion on the growing challenge of retaining scientific talent in the United States. Panelists will examine whether recent departures signal the beginning of a broader trend, what factors are driving scientists to leave, and which policies can help the United States retain top researchers and bolster innovation and economic competitiveness.

NIH and other federal agencies must adopt a more comprehensive framework for measuring scientific impact, one that captures industry outputs such as new drug development, industry investment in university research, the translation of discoveries into commercial and clinical outcomes, the depth of international scientific partnerships, and the strength of the biomedical talent pipeline.

Canada may reach its AI adoption target and still miss its promised productivity gains. Delivering those gains will require deep adoption by large firms, supported by regulatory certainty and stronger tax treatment for AI deployment.

Building factories is not the same as achieving lasting industrial strength. Korea should design its “Three Megaprojects” as reference factories that give suppliers the testing, qualification, and commercial track records needed to win customers around the world.

Chinese EV exports have boomed amid increasing global gas prices, with demand rising 120 percent in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year.

Major agreements, new participants, and key diplomatic and industrial milestones in the U.S.-led Pax Silica initiative, which aims to secure global supply chains that underpin AI and other advanced technologies.

China is not only investing more in innovation but also becoming better at turning those investments into technologies with commercial potential. To maintain its technological leadership, the United States should strengthen its entire innovation pipeline, from research to commercialization.

Just four percent of Chinese critical technology patents were filed by state-owned enterprises or the government, while more than half were filed by private firms. Another 27 percent were filed by universities. In comparison, only 3.3 percent of all critical technology patents in the United States were filed by universities.