Nobody believed Ukraine would survive as Russian armies marched on Kyiv in February 2022. Compared to Ukraine, Russia had more than twice as many troops. More than ten times as much money was allocated to its military. According to the U.S. intelligence community, Kyiv would fall in one to two weeks.

Ukraine resorted to its technological edge over its adversaries. The Ukrainian government uploaded all of its crucial data to the cloud soon after the invasion to protect data and continue to run even if Russian rockets destroyed its ministerial offices.

In the face of overwhelming odds, Ukraine resorted to its technological edge over its adversaries. The Ukrainian government uploaded all of its crucial data to the cloud soon after the invasion to protect data and continue to run even if Russian rockets destroyed its ministerial offices. Only two years earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky launched the Ministry of Digital Transformation, which repurposed the nation’s e-government mobile app, Diia, for open-source intelligence gathering so that individuals could share images and videos of adversary military formations. The Ukrainians relied on SpaceX’s Starlink satellites and ground terminals to keep connected when their communications infrastructure was in danger. As Russia launched drones built in Iran over the border, Ukraine bought its drones explicitly developed to stop Russian strikes while its military learned how to employ foreign weaponry provided by Western partners. Ukraine proved more agile in the cat-and-mouse game of innovation. Russia had anticipated a simple and swift invasion, but that has not happened.

Ukrainian President launched the Ministry of Digital Transformation, which repurposed the nation’s e-government mobile app, Diia, for open-source intelligence gathering so that individuals could share images and videos of adversary military formations.

The Ukrainian people’s tenacity, the Russian military’s frailty, and the potency of Western backing all contributed to Ukraine’s triumph. Yet it also owes something to innovation power, the defining new force in world politics. The capacity for innovation is the capacity to create, adopt, and modify new technologies. It helps both hard power and soft power. Modern platforms and the rules that govern them provide economic leverage, high-tech weaponry systems boost military might, and cutting-edge science and technology broaden its appeal worldwide. States have a long history of using innovation to export their authority overseas, but the self-perpetuating nature of scientific advancements has altered. In particular, advances in artificial intelligence not only open up new fields for scientific discovery but also hasten the process itself. The capacity of scientists and engineers to develop ever more potent technologies is accelerated by artificial intelligence, promoting advancements in both artificial intelligence and other sectors while also transforming the world.

The capacity for innovation is the capacity to create, adopt, and modify new technologies. It helps both hard power and soft power. Modern platforms and the rules that govern them provide economic leverage, high-tech weaponry systems boost military might, and cutting-edge science and technology broaden our appeal worldwide.

The result of the great-power conflict between the United States and China will depend on whether the country can innovate quicker and better, which is the current basis for military, economic, and cultural strength. The United States still has the lead for the time being. Yet China is making up ground in certain sectors while leading in others. Business as usual will not cut it in this century-defining competition if we want to win. Instead, the U.S. government will need to get over its stifled bureaucratic instincts, foster an innovation-friendly environment, and invest in the talent and resources required to ignite the positive cycle of technological growth. It must commit to advancing innovation to benefit the nation and democracy. The future of free countries, open markets, democratic governance, and the international system as a whole are all at risk.

The link between technical advancement and world dominance has existed for centuries, starting with the muskets that Francisco Pizarro used to overthrow the Inca Empire and continuing with the steamboats that Captain Matthew Perry used to force Japan’s opening. Nevertheless, there is no precedence for the rate at which innovation is occurring. Artificial intelligence, one of the pillars of modern technology, is the best example of this transformation.

Using AI, the Ukrainian military has effectively scanned information, surveillance, and reconnaissance data from various sources. Yet eventually, AI systems will start making judgments and supporting human decision-making.

When it comes to the military, today’s AI systems may already provide significant benefits because of their capacity to analyze millions of inputs, spot trends, and notify commanders of enemy activities. For instance, using AI, the Ukrainian military has effectively scanned information, surveillance, and reconnaissance data from various sources. Yet eventually, AI systems will start making judgments and supporting human decision-making. The phrase “OODA loop,” which stands for observe, orient, decide, and act, was created by military strategist and colonel of the U.S. Air Force John Boyd to explain how decisions are made during the conflict. Importantly, AI can complete the OODA loop’s many steps considerably quicker. Computer speed, not human speed, is the pace at which conflict may occur. So, command-and-control systems that depend on human decision-makers or, worse, intricate military hierarchies will be outperformed by quicker, more effective systems that combine people and robots.

The phrase “OODA loop,” which stands for observe, orient, decide, and act, AI can complete the OODA loop’s many steps considerably quicker. Computer speed, not human speed, is the pace at which conflict may occur.

Earlier periods’ geopolitical technologies were mostly solitary from bronze to steel, steam power to nuclear fission. After a nation attained a certain degree of technical expertise, the playing field was leveled. In contrast, artificial intelligence is creative in nature. It may inspire innovation by providing a forum for ongoing scientific and technical advancement. The AI era differs significantly from the Bronze Age and the Steel Age as a result of this event. A nation’s strength today derives from its capacity for constant innovation rather than from its natural resource richness or mastery of a particular technology.

Artificial intelligence is creative in nature. It may inspire innovation by providing a forum for ongoing scientific and technical advancement. The AI era differs significantly from the Bronze Age and the Steel Age as a result of this event.

This positive spiral will continue to accelerate. Superfast computers will enable the processing of ever-larger volumes of data once quantum computing is mature, leading to ever-smarter AI systems. These AI systems will therefore be able to create ground-breaking advancements in other developing domains, such as semiconductor production and synthetic biology. The whole character of scientific inquiry will alter as a result of artificial intelligence. Scientists will find the answers to enduring issues by analyzing enormous data sets rather than making progress one research at a time, enabling the world’s brightest brains to invest more time in creating new ideas. In the fight for innovation power, artificial intelligence (AI) will be essential as a pillar technology, underpinning a plethora of future advancements in drug research, gene therapy, material science, sustainable energy, and AI itself. Faster computers will aid in developing faster computers, although faster aircraft did not contribute to their construction.

Artificial intelligence (AI) will be essential as a pillar technology, underpinning a plethora of future advancements in drug research, gene therapy, material science, sustainable energy, and AI itself.

Drone technology advancements have shown that innovation power underlies military power. First and foremost, a nation’s capacity to conduct war and its deterrent powers are strengthened when it has technical superiority in key fields. Innovation, however, also affects economic power since it gives nations influence over supply networks and the capacity to set norms for others. Nations that depend on commerce or natural resources, particularly those that must import essential or rare items, confront vulnerabilities that other nations do not.

A nation’s capacity to conduct war and its deterrent powers are strengthened when it has technical superiority in key fields. Innovation, however, also affects economic power since it gives nations influence over supply networks and the capacity to set norms for others

Take into account China’s influence on the nations it provides with communications equipment. It is hardly surprising that nations reliant on Chinese infrastructure, such as several in Africa, where Huawei-produced components make up over 70% of 4G networks, have been reluctant to condemn Chinese human rights abuses. Therefore, Taiwan’s supremacy in semiconductor manufacture offers a major deterrent to invasion, as China has no interest in removing its greatest supplier of microchips. Countries that are at the forefront of innovative technology benefit as well. The United States has long had a place at the table determining Internet legislation because of its contribution to the creation of the Internet. For instance, during the Arab Spring, technology firms based in the United States, which served as the Internet’s backbone, were able to reject censorship demands from Arab governments.

The United States has long had a place at the table determining Internet legislation because of its contribution to the creation of the Internet. A nation’s soft power is boosted by technical innovation, which is less evident but as important.

A nation’s soft power is boosted by technical innovation, which is less evident but as important. Hollywood and digital giants like Netflix and YouTube have amassed a wealth of material for an expanding worldwide customer base, aiding in disseminating American ideals. These streaming services introduce the American way of life to international living rooms. The reputation of American institutions and the wealth-building prospects offered by American businesses also draw aspirants from all over the world. In other words, a nation’s capacity to project influence internationally—militarily, economically, and culturally—depends on its capacity to innovate more quickly and effectively than its rivals.

A nation’s capacity to project influence internationally—militarily, economically, and culturally—depends on its capacity to innovate more quickly and effectively than its rivals.

The United States and China will need to support fundamental research and commercialization to invest in all phases of the innovation cycle. The capacity to execute and market discoveries at scale and creativity is necessary for meaningful innovation. This is often the biggest obstacle. For instance, research into electric vehicles aided General Motors in releasing its first model in the market in 1996. However, it took another two decades for Tesla to mass-produce a model that would be profitable. The apparent objective of commercialization must be sought for every new technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, and synthetic biology.