The United States is setting ambitious technological targets to outpace global competitors, particularly China, in the race for technological dominance. A recent report by the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), backed by Eric Schmidt, former chairman of Alphabet, emphasizes the critical need for the US to achieve groundbreaking advancements in technology. This includes developing a functional quantum computer by 2028, which is expected to revolutionize computing power and efficiency.
The report reflects a broader strategic vision for the US to maintain its global technological leadership. It calls for significant improvements in computational energy efficiency, exceeding current standards by over a thousand times, and the advancement of commercial-grade superconductor electronics. This initiative comes at a time when the US and China are intensely investing in expanding their semiconductor manufacturing capabilities and striving for greater self-sufficiency in this crucial sector.
The urgency of these developments is rooted in the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and its expected impact across various industries, driving innovation in microelectronics and computing. The SCSP’s action plan is designed to position the US for a sustainable competitive advantage, drawing inspiration from historical instances where the US mobilized resources to overcome technological challenges posed by foreign adversaries.
Eric Schmidt, with a net worth of $27 billion, has been a vocal advocate for addressing security concerns related to China’s technological advancements, particularly in AI and computing. The SCSP report highlights China’s ambitious plans to enhance its chip fabrication capabilities, particularly for older-technology chips, which may pose security risks due to potential vulnerabilities and backdoors.
To counter these threats, the report suggests increasing transparency in the US regarding the origins and details of hardware components used in critical systems. This could be achieved through legislative or executive measures, mandating disclosures about the country of origin and other specifics of hardware components used by US government and critical infrastructure suppliers.
The SCSP’s action plan combines bold technological goals with organizational changes and policies aimed at securing the US’s position in the global tech landscape. Among its key objectives is the development of a million-qubit, fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2028. Such a quantum computer would exponentially outperform today’s supercomputers, offering capabilities to crack sophisticated encryption systems and create more advanced security protocols.
While companies like Google and IBM have developed functional quantum computing prototypes, these systems remain too small for impactful real-world applications. The pursuit of quantum computing breakthroughs is also a focus for China, especially as the US tightens trade restrictions that limit access to advanced traditional computing technology and semiconductors. This technological race underscores the strategic importance of quantum computing in the broader context of global tech supremacy and national security.
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