The Honorable Deborah L. Wince-Smith, Council on Competitiveness President and CEO, delivered opening remarks at the 2024 Gala Dinner and National Competitiveness Forum (NCF), setting the tone for a pivotal gathering of leaders from industry, academia, labor, and government. She began by welcoming attendees and thanking the event’s sponsors, whose contributions made the evening possible and help sustain the Council’s ongoing efforts to advance U.S. competitiveness.
Ms. Wince-Smith framed the evening and the Forum within the context of the “Age of Disruption and Discontinuity,” a period marked by rapid technological breakthroughs, economic volatility, and intensifying geopolitical competition. While the economy has remained resilient, as evidenced by low unemployment and steady GDP growth, there remain pressing challenges such as persistent inflation, rising national and consumer debt, and dependency on foreign nations for critical resources like rare earth minerals and semiconductors. China’s ambitions were also a point of emphasis.
Central to Ms. Wince-Smith’s remarks was the transformative potential of emerging technologies. Artificial intelligence (AI), in particular, is a game-changer: accelerating innovation, redefining the relationship between humans and machines, and driving productivity gains, while creating disruption for workers and industries. She also underscored the importance of energy security during a global transition to clean energy, citing advancements in nuclear energy, including small modular reactors and nuclear fusion, as vital to achieving sustainability and economic growth.
“The country is navigating an unprecedented era characterized by rapid technological advancements and geopolitical shifts — one the Council is calling the Age of Disruption and Discontinuity.”
The Hon. Deborah L. Wince-Smith
President and CEO, Council on Competitiveness
Ms. Wince-Smith also took a moment in her opening remarks to preview the Council’s Competing in the Next Economy: Innovating in the Age of Disruption and Discontinuity Report. This report identifies seven 10X pillars and 55 recommendations for the Trump Administration and 119th Congress, focusing on enhancing U.S. productivity, strengthening national security, and fostering prosperity. Her remarks also highlighted the importance of accelerating technology development, deepening collaboration between universities and national laboratories, and building capacity for innovation across the nation to ensure U.S. leadership in industries like advanced biotechnology and high performance computing (HPC).
In her concluding statement, Ms. Wince-Smith focused on the collaborative spirit of the event, which brought together leaders from across sectors to navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities of the era. The discussions at the NCF would catalyze actionable solutions, ensuring the United States remains a global leader in innovation and competitiveness.
