According to a report by Nanhua Morning Post on July 23rd, the U.S. government will shift billions of dollars in federal research funds from universities to individual scientists and projects focused on artificial intelligence (AI). The government stated that this reform is necessary in order to help the United States compete with China.
This plan is mentioned in a report released by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy on Tuesday. The Trump administration warned that China’s investment in research and development over the past 20 years has reached levels comparable to those of the United States, “an situation that the United States has never faced even during the Cold War.”
This report titled “Science: A New Golden Age” states: “In addition to investing heavily, Beijing also views scientific research capabilities as a core pillar of global competition. Decision-making is elevated to the highest level, and high-level integration is adopted in cooperation between various fields.”
This approach, involving participation from the entire society, enables China to quickly concentrate resources on basic scientific research. It also allows for rapid progress in technological fields that are crucial to national interests, and it promotes improvements in the innovation process.
The report states that in response, the United States will reallocate approximately $200 billion annually from its federal research budget, reducing funding for universities and “traditional institutions”. Instead, it will support individual scientists to establish new research organizations that are faster, more flexible, and centered around artificial intelligence.
One of the flagship projects of this new plan is the “Genesis Mission”. This is a “AI-powered science” initiative that Trump plans to launch by the end of 2025. The goal is to use AI to double the efficiency of basic research in the United States.
The White House announced on Wednesday that it will invest more than $5 billion in federal funds to expand the "Genesis Mission" and related national science and technology projects.
Although the report does not specifically mention China, the Trump administration has clearly stated its determination to win the technological competition between China and the United States. This competition involves various emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, advanced computing, and quantum technology.
The report states that China is “accelerating” the integration of artificial intelligence with “experimental infrastructure” in areas such as material discovery. It also believes that the United States must adopt a similar approach.
According to a memo released along with the report, various federal departments and agencies in the United States are required to submit action plans within 90 days, outlining the measures that will be taken to implement the recommendations made in the report.
According to official Chinese data, China's R&D investment has been growing rapidly. Last year, it reached 3.93 trillion yuan, which is approximately 551 billion US dollars.
A report released by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in March this year found that, after accounting for purchasing power, China's research and development investment will exceed that of the United States by 2024.
