Betting on America: Winning the Global Tech Race

Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA) joins Navin Girishankar to discuss the importance of reviving economic alliances amid rising global threats. He explains the roots of today’s economic security challenges, as well as the dual goal of achieving balanced economic integration with countries like Japan, Korea, and India while rebuilding the U.S. domestic industrial base. He highlights his legislative efforts to strengthen critical minerals supply chain resilience through economic security pacts in the Global South. He also explores opportunities for AI in healthcare and emphasizes the need for all Americans to contribute to the nation’s economic security goals.

Senator David McCormick (R-PA) joins Navin Girishankar on Betting on America to discuss the urgency of economic renewal in the face of myriad challenges to national power. In this wide‑ranging conversation, Senator McCormick discusses the AI revolution, U.S. trade policy, defense tech innovation, and workforce issues. He reflects on Pennsylvania’s experience and its potential to offer lessons for the country as a whole.

Join us for a special episode of Betting on America from a recent live CSIS event featuring Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Senator Todd Young (R-NC), discussing what it will take to secure U.S. technology leadership in the long-term competition with China. The discussion highlights bipartisan priorities for strengthening critical supply chains, accelerating innovation, and building resilient ecosystems in an era of strategic rivalry. The event also marked the launch of the Tech Edge Report—a flagship publication from CSIS’s Economic Security and Technology Department. The report introduces a new framework for assessing U.S. and Chinese technology ecosystems and kicks-off a multi-year research effort to inform and shape policy on the drivers of long-term advantage in the U.S.-China technology competition.

Paul Ryan, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, joins Navin Girishankar on Betting on America for a wide-ranging conversation on the big forces shaping politics and policy—competing populisms, U.S. trade policy and its discontents, out-of-control fiscal deficits, the future of the U.S. dollar, and the tech race with China. Speaker Ryan shares his thoughts not only on the challenges but also on potential solutions to set the United States on a forward path to shared prosperity.

Join us for a special episode of Betting on America from a recent live CSIS event featuring Dr. Mark Calabria, Chief Statistician of the United States, alongside leading experts from government, industry, and the research community. The discussion examines what it will take to build a modern statistical system—one that is accurate, credible, and capable of supporting America’s economic security in a more competitive and fast-moving world. Watch the full event here.

Henry McVey, Partner, Head of Global Macro & Asset Allocation, and Chief Investment Officer of KKR’s Balance Sheet, KKR, and CSIS Board Member, joins Navin Girishankar on Betting on America to explore the role of resilience driving policy and markets, what he calls “the security of everything.” They also discuss the evolving role of the state, the impact of AI on productivity, and stablecoins. See more research from Henry McVey and KKR here: All macro content: https://www.kkr.com/insights#categoryTagId=insights-categories:macro-insights Thoughts from the Road Europe: https://www.kkr.com/insights/2025-europe-thoughts-from-the-road Midyear Outlook: https://www.kkr.com/insights/mid-year-update-2025

A special episode of Betting on America features a recent live CSIS event with Jarrod Agen, Executive Director of the White House’s National Energy Dominance Council, and Joseph Majkut, Director of the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program. Tune in for a conversation on how the United States can build the energy backbone to meet its industrial and technology demands—with speed and predictability.

Betting on America welcomes Carol Tomé, Chief Executive Officer of UPS. With over half a million employees operating in more than 200 countries, UPS sits at the center of a global economy transformed by pandemic shocks, trade wars, and technological revolutions. Navin Girishankar and Tomé explore how AI, robotics, and data are redefining logistics—from time-critical networks to the delivery of vital medicines—and how UPS’s expanding role in healthcare supply chains is becoming a core part of the U.S. technology offer to the Global South. Tomé shares hard-won leadership lessons on running at scale, building resilience, and turning supply chains into engines of opportunity.

Scott Nolan, Founder & CEO of General Matter and Partner at Founders Fund, joins Navin Girishankar on Betting on America to chart America’s nuclear fuel comeback. He breaks down General Matter’s partnership with the Department of Energy to restart uranium enrichment in Paducah, KY, why securing fuel for the nation’s nuclear fleet is a strategic imperative, and how public–private collaboration is essential to tackling America’s biggest economic and national security challenges. Nolan also shares lessons from his journey as a founder and investor.

Indermit Gill, Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of the World Bank, joins Navin Girishankar for a wide-ranging conversation on global growth prospects as well as challenges and opportunities for developing countries. Indermit shared his insights on the causes of persistent trade imbalances, the role of international financial institutions, economic reforms amid rising populism, as well as the potential for technology to drive U.S. exports while spurring growth in the Global South.

Matthew Borman joins Navin Girishankar to discuss the evolution of U.S. export controls as a key economic security tool and their effectiveness at securing innovative and sensitive technologies. Matt is a non-resident Senior Technical Expert at CSIS and served as principal deputy assistant secretary for strategic trade and technology security and deputy assistant secretary for export administration at the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security for more than 20 years.

President Paul Alivisatos of the University of Chicago joins Navin Girishankar on Betting on America to discuss the role of universities in the U.S. science, technology, and innovation ecosystem. Tune into this episode for a conversation about how universities power America’s technology future, from basic research to technology commercialization. This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

Mayor Tyler Moore of Kokomo, Indiana joins Navin Girishankar on Betting on America to discuss how the city of Kokomo attracted Korean investment to establish components of the EV battery value chain. Tune into this episode for a fascinating conversation on how public investments, public-private partnerships, and cultural outreach have allowed this partnership to thrive. This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.