What America must hear from candidates on technology issues
The world is on the cusp of a technological revolution that will transform how we conduct business, fight wars and interact as a society. The race to design and implement artificial intelligence is the challenge of the 21st century. China is throwing billions at AI research and development. The country that wins this competition will dominate the global economy and dictate the rules for how the world will work.
But you would never know it from listening to the presidential candidates. The subject has yet to come up in their debates.
Instead, they’re focused on the largely irrelevant question of whether we should break up Big Tech. Assuming it’s even necessary, a breakup of this magnitude would take the better part of a decade to implement. By that time, the tech industry will have moved on to the next Big Thing, raising new ethical debates. And the public will be wondering — again — why Washington is lagging on dealing with tech issues.
Of course, the candidates wouldn’t be debating whether a breakup of tech titans is necessary if the industry had cleaned up its act on crucial privacy and political advertisement issues — the biggest trust issue of the decade.
The nation needs a president who can articulate forward-thinking technology policy that inspires Americans about the possibilities for the future. One that guarantees that their privacy will be respected and protected. One that educates workers for the jobs of the future. One that anticipates the ethical issues that will arise and puts scientists, ethicists, tech experts and elected officials to work now on how the industry will be regulated.
Tonight’s debate provides the candidates with an opportunity to emerge from the pack and provide that vision.
It’s not enough to simply oppose the current occupant of the White House, whose tech policy seems to be ranting about anything that doesn’t serve his self-interests.
The presidential candidates should be sharing how they will:
• Invest heavily in research and development that will spark ongoing innovation. President Trump has done the opposite, calling on Congress to make deep spending cuts at federal science agencies, including a 13% cut for the National Institutes of Health and 12% for the National Science Foundation. The same budget called for an 11% cut on total federal investment in research and development.
• Convince a divided Congress to pass an infrastructure bill that provides the housing, roads, energy, water and airports needed to support the tech revolution.
• Build enough support for immigration reform that guarantees the best and brightest minds from around the world will bring their ideas and entrepreneurial skills to the United States.
Tonight’s debate begins at 6 on MSNBC. Voters — and the tech industry — should be watching.