Digital Spirits

For the field of AI, his choices could prove profound. When a technology is just budding, the chances of future “butterfly effects” from poor policy choices are particularly strong. The reverberations from Trump’s election will be felt for decades, not just for the next four years. We must get this right. In my view, trade and geopolitical competition are by far the policy domains most critical to long-term American AI success and should be kept in sharp focus by the new administration.

The best path forward to both geopolitical and economic success is competition, not control. Tariffs and export controls are truly awesome executive powers and therefore demand careful consideration and assessment. Trump is taking office at a critical technological moment. If his administration chooses a steady trade and geopolitical competition policy, the U.S. could seize the moment and secure economic, security and technological returns that will pay dividends for decades to come.

Let’s not squander this opportunity.