Hilal Aka
Policy Analyst
Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
Hilal Aka is a policy analyst at ITIF, focusing on U.S. tech competitiveness. Previously, she interned with the Center for a New American Security's technology and national security program and was an economic consultant on antitrust and competition matters at Charles River Associates.
She holds a bachelor's degree from Wellesley College with a double major in economics and mathematics. She is currently pursuing a master in public policy at Harvard Kennedy School and a juris doctorate at Georgetown University, focusing on emerging technologies and national security.
Research Areas
Recent Publications
Why Is the FTC Working With Temu While China Advances in AI?
The DeepSeek breakthrough does not vindicate or discredit antitrust policies but is a wake-up call. Rather than celebrating moves to hobble its tech ecosystem, the United States needs a coherent national strategy that leverages all American innovative capabilities to ensure U.S. AI leadership.
The FTC’s Amazon-Temu Blunder: Working With China to Target American Tech
The FTC's surprising decision to partner with Chinese-owned Temu in its antitrust case against Amazon reveals a dangerous misalignment between American antitrust policy and national security interests, highlighting how regulatory overreach could end up strengthening China's tech dominance.
Why Big Tech Matters for National Security
America’s leading tech companies strengthen U.S. technological superiority by making massive investments in advanced technologies like quantum computing and AI, which are crucial strategic assets in an era of intensifying competition with China.
