Over the course of two years, over 100 leaders from diverse sectors, professions, and geographic regions—nominated by National Commissioners—participated in four Working Groups centered on the future of technology, sustainability, workforce development, and place-based innovation. Through a series of progressive virtual workshops, these groups generated a comprehensive set of 55 recommendations designed to strengthen the nation’s innovation capacity and capability amid an era of increasing disruption and change.
From these 55 recommendations, the Commission identified seven as immediate priorities—actions that require urgent attention from leaders in business, academia, and all levels of government to maintain the United States' competitive edge. Addressing these seven priority recommendations requires focused action in 2025 and 2026. The seven priority recommendations follow.
This competitive corporate tax rate will help ensure that U.S. companies stay cost-competitive with other nations, and that the United States continues to be a leading destination and home for businesses. At the same time, federal deficits must be reduced while investment in federal R&D, technology initiatives, and modern scientific infrastructure is increased to maintain U.S. global economic and military leadership, broaden access to innovation for underserved communities, and counter China's growing technological power.
Congress should fully appropriate and implement the science provisions of the CHIPS and Science Act, while also funding the U.S. Department of Defense and nondefense federal investments in research and development at historic levels.
Adopt a warp-speed model for streamlining and reducing regulation—fast-tracking permitting and licensing—to significantly speed up U.S. innovation and commercialization of exponential technologies here in America.
The federal government—in partnership with states and the private sector—must launch a Nuclear Energy Moonshot to accelerate the development and deployment of nextgeneration nuclear energy power plants, including small modular and fusion reactors, to meet the soaring demand for clean, baseload electricity.
Congress should immediately establish and fully fund a National Commission on Artificial Intelligence to model future scenarios of AI impacts and better understand the implications of AI for productivity, new capabilities, education, and the workforce.
Establish a White House “Regional Economic Development Council” to coordinate all federal and community economic development activities to optimize goals, enable co-investment, and eliminate duplication. Congress should also expand the mandate and authorities of federal departments and agencies to fund regional innovation ecosystem building, support innovative financing models for investment, expand advanced manufacturing “Enterprise Zones,” and develop a certification process for “Innovation Districts.”
To foster a supportive global environment for U.S. technology expansion and cooperation, the United States, in collaboration with allied countries, must become the global leader in technology statecraft. This includes promoting strong intellectual property (I.P.) protection and enforcing strict penalties for I.P. infringement. The United States must also exert greater leadership in global standardssetting and work to remove non-tariff barriers to trade and market access. Additionally, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) must be expanded to review foreign investments in venture capital and startups focused on key dual-use technologies, including cybersecurity.
