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US Must Adopt Forward-Looking Strategy to Preserve AI Leadership, CNAS Report Urges

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The US must take a proactive approach to maintain its global edge in artificial intelligence (AI) by promoting and securing leadership in AI compute infrastructure and applications, according to a new report by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). The report, titled "Global Compute and National Security: Strengthening American AI Leadership Through Proactive Partnerships," argues that the US should focus on protecting its lead in compute, which is the foundation for sustained AI progress. The report highlights the central role of "compute" in shaping the global AI landscape and emphasizes the need for a strategy that protects the US lead in compute while building trusted partnerships worldwide.

Key Takeaways:

  • The US should adopt a forward-leaning strategy to maintain its global edge in AI by promoting and securing leadership in AI compute infrastructure and applications.
  • The report emphasizes the central role of "compute" in shaping the global AI landscape and highlights the need for a strategy that protects the US lead in compute.
  • The report outlines a dual strategy of protecting frontier capabilities while promoting secure compute partnerships, including key policy recommendations to the US government.
  • The report's policy recommendations include hardening export controls, supporting the development of and access to valuable downstream AI applications, and using strategic investment vehicles to promote US AI projects and applications overseas.
  • The report identifies key strategic partners, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, India, Australia, and the United Kingdom, and recommends tailored partnerships to bring them closer into the US orbit.
  • The report emphasizes the need to champion technical, privacy-preserving solutions to address partners' sovereignty concerns and engage in multilateral and standard-setting bodies to build legitimacy and strengthen AI data center security and risk management.

Statistics:

  • The report argues that the nation that leads in global compute deployment will shape the norms and rules that govern AI's use.
  • The US currently leads in AI compute deployment, with 55% market share, followed by China with 25% and the EU with 10% (Source: CNAS report).
  • The report highlights that recent US actions, including chip export controls and the 2025 Framework for Artificial Intelligence Diffusion, have signaled Washington's intent to protect its AI leadership.
  • The report notes that challenges remain, with energy constraints and permitting delays threatening large-scale data center expansion and chip smuggling, expanding Chinese investment, and growing interest among US allies in non-American compute options risk eroding the US advantage.

Sources:

  • "Global Compute and National Security: Strengthening American AI Leadership Through Proactive Partnerships" by Janet Egan (https://www.cnas.org/publications/reports/global-compute-and-national-security)
  • Center for a New American Security (CNAS) press release (https://www.cnas.org/press/press-release/new-cnas-report-outlines-strategy-for-us-ai-leadership-through-global-partnerships)

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