Emerging Technologies

HCSS produces data-driven cutting-edge research at the intersection of security and the Emerging Technologies shaping our future: semiconductors, quantum technology, space, artificial intelligence, cyber, robotics, biotechnology, and photonics.

Great power competition is restructuring our geopolitical order, and securing access and gaining leverage on strategic technologies and resources is critical. New technologies that, for instance, are not only necessary for the energy transition, but can also influence the future of warfare.

As recognition of the economic, military, and strategic relevance of access to and control over the distribution of modern technologies has grown, so, too, has the prevalence of the sentiment that a nation’s technological innovation and capabilities are directly linked to its national security, economic prosperity, and social stability.

This is creating incentives for states to treat access to sensitive technologies as a zero-sum game and to pursue policies to expand national control over and international influence through sensitive technologies. The US and China have already established a significant lead, not only by dominating in technological advancements but also by benefitting from robust ecosystems that support continuous innovation and substantial investments.

How can other continents like Europe or parts of Asia maintain a strong position in these strategic industrial sectors as geopolitical spheres of influence emerge?