2023

February


Brynjolfsson speaks at Davos on AI and white collar jobs
Davos 2023

Erik Brynjolfsson was a key speaker at a Davos 2023 session on the future of AI and white collar jobs. Recent breakthroughs in machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) means that increasingly complex cognitive tasks and creative production can be automated. The speakers explored whtether the implications of these developments are being overstated, or if we are approaching an inflection point and a new disruptive era for knowledge workers.


Lane works on final report for NAIRR Task Force
NAIRR Task Force report

NNCTA member Julia Lane worked on a final report from the National AI Research Resource (NAIRR) Task Force, which was submitted to the President and to Congress. The report outlines a plan for artificial intelligence research in the US that will resolve issues surrounding access to data and computational resources, which can limit AI development to large companies and research institutions.

Conti, Wosínska co-authors on prescription drug supply chain resilience
Health Affairs

Rena Conti and Marta Wosínska contributed to a piece in Health Affairs on building resilience into US prescription drug supply chains. They and their co-authors describe the current challenges and landscape, as well as proposed next steps to building resilience. They note that private industry must take steps to create resilience while the federal goverment needs to play a role in prioritizing and funding industry efforts.


January


Fuchs talks plans to assess America’s critical technologies
The New York Times

EPP’s Erica Fuchs speaks with The New York Times about the grant she and 22 other researchers from different universities were awarded to complete a one-year pilot project on assessing America’s critical technologies. The proposed National Network for Critical Technology Assessment is meant to help the U.S. understand our current strengths and weaknesses in technology so that we can focus our time and money in the places lacking development. “Until we can define what the actual problem is, it makes it very hard to spend our money wisely,” Fuchs reflects.


2022


December


Fuchs speaks on industrial policy at a Hamilton Project event
Brookings Institution

EPP’s Erica Fuchs spoke at a Hamilton Project event at the Brookings Institution. As a panelist, she discussed the importance of a modern industrial policy that ideally focuses on the service and tech sectors.


Georgetown CSET releases paper in Nature

Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) released a paper in Nature that discusses how scientists can inform policy decisions. CSET’s founder, Dewey Murdick, explains how students and employees are trained to effectively communicate technical problems to policymakers, who can then turn this content into action. “In short, what made these technology policies happen was not a technical insight itself, but a deep understanding of how to connect that insight to policymakers’ goals,” Murdick says.


NNCTA joint meeting convened

On December, 15, 2022, the NNCTA leaders convened a joint meeting of the NNCTA Advisory Council, Researcher Network and representatives of NSF TIP Directorate to discuss NNCTA pilot year plans and progress.