Michèle served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from February 2009 to February 2012, and serves as one of SCSP's Board of Advisors. Together, they discuss AI and the future of warfare, the U.S.-China-Taiwan security dynamic, and strategic guidance for the Secretary of Defense. They reference the following article, AI is Already at War, Foreign Affairs. Check out their conversation on the SCSP YouTube channel ! Memos to the President Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Stu...
Feb 13, 2025•31 min•Season 1Ep. 15
This memo outlines a new alliance structure to advance America's qualitative technology advantage in a global technology competition along the following objectives: Identify and organize the most capable and secure partners to innovate and develop critical technologies before U.S. rivals. Safeguard access to critical technologies that are sensitive for national security. Establish broader partnerships to develop and build out safe and secure technology applications to promote shared prosperity. ...
Feb 11, 2025•27 min•Season 1Ep. 14
In our Episode 13, SCSP's Addis Goldman and Brady Helwig highlight the key objectives of the newest Memo to the President all about revitalizing U.S. advanced manufacturing capabilities in a new Trump Administration. Together, they outline a strategy to reestablish U.S. leadership in advanced manufacturing through targeted technology development, organizational reforms, and national policy interventions in the following ways: Drive AI-Enabled Innovation in Advanced Manufacturing Reorganize and S...
Feb 06, 2025•17 min•Season 1Ep. 13
They discuss China's DeepSeek AI model release and the challenges the US's perceived lead in the field. This necessitates a shift in US national security strategy, including assuming worst-case scenarios about adversary AI capabilities, bolstering defenses for US AI infrastructure, and developing policies to address the proliferation of foreign AI models. Furthermore, the US must adopt a comprehensive approach beyond export controls, incorporating diplomatic, intelligence, and defense actions, w...
Feb 05, 2025•16 min•Season 1Ep. 12
SCSP expands upon it's AI+Robotics Summit held in October 2024, identifying actions to secure U.S. leadership at the convergence of AI and robotics. Watch the full event here . Objectives in the Robotics Memo: Set national-level technology goals for robotics that ensure U.S. leadership in development, deployment, and responsible use, driving economic growth, enhancing national security, and improving quality of life. Accelerate the adoption of robotics and embodied AI across U.S. industries to e...
Feb 04, 2025•23 min•Season 1Ep. 11
In 2017, Schadlow was instrumental in drafting President Trump's NSS. She emphasizes that the document's straightforward approach was intentional and aligned with Trump's clear vision for American interests. The NSS focused on four pillars: protecting the homeland, promoting American prosperity, preserving peace through strength, and advancing American influence. Notably, the document identified China as a strategic competitor, a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy. Check out their conversa...
Jan 30, 2025•32 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Our latest SCSP Substack discusses the implications of DeepSeek’s R-1, a new large language model (LLM) developed by a PRC AI firm. The model has matched the performance of leading U.S. closed models at much lower compute costs, challenging the U.S.'s assumed technological leadership. Check out their conversation on the SCSP YouTube channel ! Memos to the President Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies Project ....
Jan 28, 2025•21 min•Season 1Ep. 9
This episode focuses on the actions that will maximize AI's contributions to economic competitiveness, societal wellbeing, and national security while removing bureaucratic barriers to innovation. Chart a path for AI development that protects the American people and national security. Streamline regulations for emerging technologies. Prioritize high-consequence use cases. Implementing a national data strategy that treats data as a strategic asset for innovation and security. Read the full memo h...
Jan 28, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 8
We want to ensure the U.S. military opens up a commanding lead in innovation and lethality by doing the following: Forge the World’s Most Dominant Fighting Force by Organizing and Equipping the Department of Defense for Unrivaled Lethality and Technological Supremacy; Seize and Hold the Commanding Ground in AI and Digital Warfare to Guarantee American Leadership in the Defining Battlespace of the 21st Century; and Resurrect American Industrial Might by Building a 21st Century Arsenal of Democrac...
Jan 24, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 7
This memo outlines a set of ambitious goals for reforming the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) that, if achieved, would position the IC to adapt to the coming wave of revolutionary technological change and improve its ability to protect the nation’s economic competitiveness in the decades ahead. Given the IC’s crucial role in securing the homeland and supporting the United States’ ability to pursue its strategic goals, it must revolutionize its approach to its work and better address the importa...
Jan 22, 2025•31 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Given the critical nature of this decade to solidify American economic prosperity, social well-being, and global leadership, the United States should orient itself around three main objectives to dominate the technology stack of the future: Achieve and Maintain Leadership in Foundational Technologies. The United States must achieve and maintain a clear lead in the foundational technologies that will underpin the future economy and military power. This includes artificial intelligence (AI), advan...
Jan 21, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 5
This episode discusses not one, but two, new memos released by SCSP. The first memo outlines a strategic framework for the United States to lead the evolving international techno-economic order, characterized by rapid technological advancements and intensifying geopolitical competition. We believe the United States must leverage its strengths to shape this new order and advance its economic and national security interests. To effectively navigate this evolving landscape, the United States must p...
Jan 16, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 4
The United States must act decisively to maintain its global leadership in the face of rising challenges from the People's Republic of China (PRC) and other authoritarian powers. This memo outlines five key objectives to ensure U.S. victory, focusing on: Expand American-led technology platforms globally: The United States should secure critical technology platforms by partnering with allies and launch an American "tech package" initiative to counter the PRC's Digital Silk Road and demonstrate th...
Jan 14, 2025•32 min•Season 1Ep. 3
We argue, the United States must act decisively to maintain its lead in the critical emerging field of developing Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). This memo outlines key steps to ensure U.S. dominance in AGI, focusing on: Accelerating AGI development: Launching "moonshot" programs akin to the Apollo Program, Manhattan Project, and Operation Warp Speed to drive rapid innovation. Securing necessary resources: Implementing robust short and long-term funding strategies and infrastructure inves...
Jan 10, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 2
In this first episode of Memos to the President, Eric Schmidt, in conversation with Ylli Bajraktari at SCSP, discusses his new book "Genesis" co-authored with Henry Kissinger and Craig Mundie. He emphasizes the rapid advancement of AI, particularly highlighting the development of agents capable of complex tasks and the potential for AI to revolutionize programming and mathematics. Schmidt stresses the urgency for the US to lead in the AI race against China, emphasizing the need for a national in...
Jan 08, 2025•46 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Music: Grand Design by Stephen Keech Check out their conversation on the SCSP YouTube channel ! Memos to the President Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies Project .
Jan 07, 2025•2 min
