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State and Local

Robert D. Atkinson
Robert D. Atkinson

Senior Fellow

Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

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Stephen Ezell
Stephen Ezell

Executive Vice President, Global Innovation Policy

Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

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Featured

The State Hamilton Index: Most States Underperform in Advanced Industries

The State Hamilton Index: Most States Underperform in Advanced Industries

Innovation-driven production is key to reclaiming U.S. dominance on the international stage. Yet, all but a few U.S. state economies are less concentrated in advanced industries than the world average—and only one is ahead of China.

Estimated State-Level Employment Impact of Enhancing Federal R&D Tax Incentives

Estimated State-Level Employment Impact of Enhancing Federal R&D Tax Incentives

Tax incentives for research and development (R&D) in America are less generous than in comparable countries—and now prevent firms from expensing the full value of R&D investments in the first year. Enhancing R&D tax incentives would create high-paying jobs across the country.

The Looming Cost of a Patchwork of State Privacy Laws

The Looming Cost of a Patchwork of State Privacy Laws

In the absence of a federal privacy law, a growing patchwork of state laws burdens companies with multiple, duplicative compliance costs. The out-of-state costs from 50 such laws could exceed $1 trillion over 10 years, with at least $200 billion hitting small businesses.

How Congress and the Biden Administration Could Jumpstart Smart Cities With AI

How Congress and the Biden Administration Could Jumpstart Smart Cities With AI

AI promises to help cities save money, address infrastructure needs, and reduce emissions. But to unlock these benefits and help smart cities reach their full potential, the federal government has an important role to play in funding RD&D and facilitating cooperation.

More Publications and Events

October 25, 2026|Op-Eds & Contributed Articles

A Tech Hub for Every Region? The Test Facing South Korea

Assigning an advanced industry to every region will not, by itself, create successful tech hubs. Korea should concentrate resources in promising clusters, revise funding as private investment and customer demand emerge, and improve daily life in waning communities.

October 19, 2026|Blogs

Pricing Algorithms Are Not Inherently Anticompetitive

Pricing software can facilitate collusion, but the relevant question is how firms use it. Policymakers should target practices that undermine competition rather than prohibit a technology with legitimate uses.

October 13, 2026|Reports & Briefings

The 2026 US-India Subnational Innovation Competitiveness Index

For policymakers to bolster regional competitiveness in the global economy, they first must know where they stand. This report—coauthored by ITIF and the Institute for Competitiveness, India—benchmarks the 87 regions of India and the United States using 12 commonly available indicators of strength in the knowledge economy, globalization, and innovation capacity.

October 9, 2026|Blogs

Backlash to Flock Cameras Is a Trust Issue, Not a Tech Issue

At its core, the backlash against Flock has little to do with automated license plate readers. Instead, amid growing opposition to AI and federal law enforcement, Flock cameras have suffered from being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

October 2, 2026|Op-Eds & Contributed Articles

California’s Paramount Settlement Doesn’t Stop at Antitrust

More troubling than any effects on competition the decree will have is what it does to antitrust itself: It uses competition law to enact industrial policy goals that have little to do with competition.

September 8, 2026|Reports & Briefings

Transatlantic Subnational Innovation Competitiveness Index 3.0

For policymakers to bolster the global competitiveness and innovation capacity of their regions, they must first understand their regions’ strengths and weaknesses. This report—by 11 think tanks from the Global Trade and Innovation Policy Alliance (GTIPA)—benchmarks 213 regions of 13 transatlantic countries using 14 commonly available innovation indicators.

September 7, 2026|Blogs

What Communities Stand to Lose by Blocking Data Centers

Data centers can deliver substantial tax revenue, jobs, infrastructure investment, and lower utility costs when communities adopt policies that capture their benefits while managing local impacts.

July 31, 2026|Blogs

Time for an 18-Month Moratorium on Data Center Moratoriums

Montgomery County’s new data center moratorium will do little for the environment, but plenty to weaken growth, deter investment, and undermine the infrastructure powering AI.

July 7, 2026|Testimonies & Filings

Comments to the FCC Regarding AT&T’s Petition for Preemption and Declaratory Ruling on California’s Carrier of Last Resort and Related Requirements

The Commission should thoughtfully consider AT&T’s petition because it could catalyze the retirement of outdated copper networks, accelerate network modernization, and advance the transition to a modern, all-IP communications ecosystem.

July 6, 2026|Reports & Briefings

The Data Center Water Problem Is Soluble

Technology exists, and policy instruments are available, to develop a new, state-led model of water governance for data centers and other large industrial users. What’s missing is institutional coordination, regulatory specificity, and a set of standardized mechanisms and metrics.

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