Advisory Council

Tech diplomacy will steer the direction of the new economy and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, whether built on foundations of freedom or control.

The has never been a better time to analyze the implications of technology on diplomacy and vice versa. Purdue’s expertise in critical areas such as semiconductors, hypersonics, 5G/6G, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity is a fundamental block in understanding how technical advancements constantly reshape national and world strategy, and how well-informed policies can enable a free, safer world, based on democratic values.

We are approaching one of those rare moments in history in which technological breakthroughs have the potential to fundamentally alter the course of human civilization. Advances in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, bio-technology, and space exploration / exploitation are poised to increase the prosperity and health of all humanity. Unfortunately, these same technologies can be used to restrict human rights and spread dangerous ideologies. Free governments and industry must band together and develop standards so that we can collectively hold bad actors accountable and mitigate their misuse of these technologies. I am proud to be part of the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue which is leading this necessary alliance between policy makers, industry, and academia.

As Technology Networks continue to increase in bandwidth and global coverage (not to mention the accompanying evolution of AI and ML), the need for diplomacy between governments, corporations, and tech platforms has never been greater. Managing future technologies for the planet will require us all to work together to provide the trust and confidence in technology that we deserve.

Tech diplomacy belongs at the center of U.S. national security policy. This requires better coordination inside the U.S. government, with foreign partners, and between government and businesses, investors, and universities. History reminds us of this need⁠—and so do our adversaries, who every day invest in technology acquisition, theft, and innovation.

In this era of great power competition and geopolitical instability, the development and deployment of democracy-promoting technologies by the US and its allies has become an increasingly vital form of statecraft. Use of technology as a tool for diplomacy is critical to protecting and advancing the global security priorities of the free world—and to empowering those who wish to be a part of it.

After serving in senior economic policy positions in the U.S. government and in executive roles in the financial services sector, I have seen first-hand the critical importance of coordinated efforts among the U.S. government, our foreign allies, and global financial institutions to promote international development in parts of the world that are plagued by the predatory economic conduct of the Chinese Communist Party. I look forward to working with the Commission in outlining both defensive and offensive strategies to combat this behavior and promote vital U.S. national security interests.

Maintaining the USA’s dominant Leadership position in High Technology is the key to maintaining our Freedom and Liberty, and that of our Allies, in the 21st Century.

Across history, diplomacy has revolved around the control of critical resources. Governments, ranging from ancient monarchies to modern democracies, have relied on it to gain or retain control over resources ranging from arable land to natural resources. The critical resource of the 21st Century is technology and diplomacy will be critical in determining who gets to define it, develop it, and deploy it.