Priority Technologies: Ensuring US Security and Shared Prosperity

Why It Matters

Securing domestic capacity in priority technologies is essential for U.S. economic competitiveness and national security in a China‑driven strategic rivalry.

Key Takeaways

• US must invest in priority technologies to regain global leadership.
• Critical minerals, semiconductors, biomanufacturing, quantum, drones are highlighted.
• China’s rapid tech investment forces US strategic response.
• US biomanufacturing capacity lags behind demand and competitors.
• New production architectures, AI, automation essential for scaling.

Summary

The American Enterprise Institute hosted a discussion around the new book *Priority Technologies*, examining how the United States can rebuild its edge in frontier sectors such as critical minerals, semiconductors, biomanufacturing, quantum computing and drones. Panelists from MIT highlighted a shifting geopolitical landscape where China’s aggressive investment has overtaken U.S. leadership in many of these domains, prompting a policy rethink.

Historically, the U.S. surged ahead during WWII and the Cold War by linking federal research funding with industrial capacity—radar, rockets, and later silicon chips. Today, the same model is missing: the nation excels at early‑stage R&D but struggles to scale production, especially in biotech, where facilities cost billions and take years to qualify. The Biden administration’s “garden‑with‑high‑walls” framework seeks to protect a shortlist of critical technologies, yet defining that list remains contentious.

Simon Johnson recalled the radar‑lab secrecy of the 1940s and the Sputnik shock that spurred massive government‑industry collaboration. J. Christopher Love warned that U.S. biomanufacturing pipelines are outpaced by foreign capacity, with four‑fifths of biopharma production already off‑shored. He likened the need for flexible, drone‑like manufacturing to the evolution from B‑2 bombers to agile unmanned systems, arguing that AI‑driven automation can compress build times and costs.

The panel concluded that regaining technological supremacy will require a dual approach: targeted public investment in supply‑chain resilience and the development of modular, AI‑enabled production architectures that can be rapidly replicated. Without such reforms, U.S. firms risk ceding market share and strategic advantage to rivals, undermining both economic growth and national security.

Original Description

A new world order is emerging, and within it, US priorities are shifting. Burgeoning industries such as critical minerals extraction, semiconductors, biomanufacturing, and quantum computing are now at the forefront of economic and national security conversations and lawmaking efforts. In an evolving geopolitical landscape, how can the US build on its experience in developing frontier technologies and globally competitive industries through investments in priority technologies for the 21st century?

Join AEI’s Michael R. Strain for a conversation with experts from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a conversation on their new book, Priority Technologies: Ensuring US Security and Shared Prosperity (2026).

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