Technology-First Nations Will Prosper
The key to winning now is for each nation and each person to focus on maximizing the rising (and exponentially growing) power of technology. The recent breakthroughs in AI and robotics have both been astounding examples of the incredible lifting power of tech.
Whether you are American, Indian, Russian, Chinese, English, Australian or from some other part of the world - you should be taking advantage of the gains from technology to improve the quality of your life as you build a lasting legacy.
Going further, you should be using your voice on social media channels and via calls to your representatives pushing for your country to use technology to (finally) add efficiency drivers to the Gov Administration functions that consume roughly 40% of our planet’s resources.
Imagine if we reduced that parasitic load down to just 10%… what would that afford us in terms of new productive capacity, new capabilities and a wealthier world as a whole?
Nations who embrace technology the most innovatively and completely will enjoy exceptional economic progress and societal harmony.
But the question remains: which technologies?
In general, all countries should be focusing on increasing power generation, storage and transmission efficiency and capacity. In the era of AI and robotics the labor function is increasingly driven by the cost of energy. Nations with the best access to electrons are destined to rule. Focusing on downstream things without going to the thermodynamic root is a mistake. Energy is power, literally.
There are specific branches of tech that appear to be positioned to a play a larger role than the rest. In-line with the paragraph above, that list is headed up by power generation tech. The fields are deeply interconnected and interdisciplinary.
Advancement in each of these areas is crucial for maintaining a robust and secure nation in the face of evolving threats and global challenges.
It’s also the key to living a prosperous life.
Continuous research, development, and investment in these fields are what we should be focusing our rising LLM super powers on alongside the other ML-based techniques to discover and deploy useful information.
The key: each of these are crucial for a nation's resilience, technological superiority, strategic autonomy and socioeconomic flourishing.
Let’s get to the list.
Nuclear Engineering
Fusion energy represents a game-changing, near-limitless energy source.
Nuclear provides baseload, low-carbon power essential for grid stability and energy independence, reducing reliance on volatile fossil fuel markets.
Advanced reactors enhance safety and efficiency. Isotope production helps in many areas of industry including medical diagnostics and treatments, as well as defense applications. Paired with the near-zero cost of electricity nuclear power provides and the defense and industry implications, nuclear is literally the good stuff.
It requires a lot of brainpower, though.
This field transcends traditional nuclear fission and moves into advanced reactor designs (small modular reactors, molten salt reactors, fast breeder reactors), fusion energy systems, and isotope production for medical and industrial applications. Extremely nerdy fields like neutron transport theory, reactor physics, nuclear materials science, thermal hydraulics of coolants, radiation shielding methodologies and so many others site at the core of nuclear.
The theory part isn’t the hard part, however.
The building part is the hard part.
America hasn’t built many new nuclear reactors (and we’ve never built a grid scale version of the new reactor designs)… which doesn’t mean we are rusty as much as it means permitting might take longer, environmental impact studies and the rest of the pre-development work that happens before horizontal site work and vertical construction will all likely take longer than anticipated.
And face more opposition than anticipated, too.
Even in the current regulation resistant administration States have their own mechanisms and timelines. Outside of typical State vs Federal friction there are entrenched interests who profit under the current arrangement and have no economic interest in near-zero kWh.
Even outside of all of that, we have too much red tape weighing down the wheels of innovation here in America. Thankfully, that tape is dissolving.
As we free those wheels the cost of power will plummet, even without breakthroughs in battery technology and renewables taken into account. More on those later.
Next let’s discuss what we can do with all that power.
HPC and Exascale Computing
HPC (High-Performance Computing) is crucial for nuclear weapons stockpile stewardship, cryptanalysis and cryptography, advanced materials design, scenario modeling, intelligence analysis, hypersonic vehicle design, and large-scale data analysis.
HPC is about developing and deploying supercomputers capable of performing trillions to exaflops of floating-point operations per second. It involves computer architecture, parallel algorithms, advanced cooling systems, and software stacks optimized for massive parallelism. One area that doesn’t get enough love is interconnect. High-speed interconnects between the compute clusters make it all work. This technology is how they achieve distributed compute at scale.
Exascale computing pushes the boundaries of HPC towards exaflops performance and beyond. Exascale capabilities enable unprecedented simulation fidelity and data processing capacity, providing a significant strategic advantage.
Today every country already relies on these capabilities to protect every domain of existence - cyberspace, space, land, air, sea.
Exascale computing allows us to create more detailed and accurate simulations than ever before. This means scientists and engineers can study complex phenomena with a new level of realism, leading to breakthroughs in fields like medicine, materials science, and climate modeling.
These powerful technologies help companies produce critical goods and deliver valuable services that produce hundreds of billions of GDP every year. Importantly, the future is increasingly a digital-first affair. Bitcoin, blockchain in general and the wider ecosystem of AI + Apps (and everything else in the electron kingdom) is eclipsing the physical world in value, already.
That trend is accelerating at an accelerating rate.
Soon we will simulate the entire human brain, design revolutionary new materials atom by atom, and predict the impact of weather events including their impact on financial markets, at the same time. This is thanks to the constant rising of compute power as we scale beyond exascale compute.
To advance here requires deep knowledge of computer science, computer engineering, applied mathematics, physics, advanced algorithms, and software engineering for parallel programming and system administration.
It also requires incredible chips to fuel those data centers.
That’s our next key technology of the future.
I still see this mattering more than quantum (for now). Quantum’s time has yet to come but when it does nearly everything related to information will change… which is a lot of things.
We’ll talk again about quantum later in this article. For now let’s focus on what’s driving the current advancements we see everywhere.
The semiconductor.
Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing
While we can see the impact of quantum starting to build and we can imagine organic computers eventually running AI very effectively, we are a ways off from seeing either of those exotic systems in the real world. Semiconductors are our only current viable path to AGI.
Semiconductors are the foundational components inside virtually all electronic systems.
These chips do more than just give AI a brain - they drive everything from weapons systems and communication networks to critical infrastructure and consumer electronics.
This field encompasses the design, fabrication, and testing of advanced semiconductor devices and integrated circuits, especially at nanoscale dimensions (nodes below 7nm and beyond). It includes photolithography, etching, deposition, ion implantation, metrology, yield management and more. It demands extreme precision and cleanliness in manufacturing environments.
The brains are hard at work fighting the laws of physics.
Literally battling thermodynamics and electromagnetic phenomena.
As transistors approach the size of atoms, quantum effects like electron tunneling start to interfere with their operation. This makes it harder to control the flow of electrons and maintain reliable performance. To make matters more challenging, packing more transistors into a smaller space generates more heat, which can damage the chip and affect its performance. Managing this heat effectively is a major challenge for smaller chips.
A national commitment to advanced semiconductor manufacturing is revitalizing Silicon Valley and ensuring America's technological sovereignty. New fabrication plants are producing cutting-edge chips that power everything from artificial intelligence to quantum computers, driving innovation and economic growth.
There are problems to address. When these increasingly miniaturized chips are unable to process their 1’s and 0’s effectively we will have hit the thermodynamic wall.
Thankfully there are solutions and because of that we still have a way to go, with several avenues (mapped out below) that will drive future growth from microelectronic performance.
Let’s keep going into the future. We’re getting to the exciting stuff now.
Advanced Materials Science
Materials innovation is a key driver of technological advantage.
This key science feeds breakthrough capability into thousands of other scientific fields, hundreds of academic disciplines and dozens of industries.
Advanced materials are enabling for numerous critical technologies: lighter and stronger military vehicles and aircraft, more efficient engines, advanced sensors, high-temperature superconductors, novel armor, biocompatible materials for medical implants, alongside enhanced energy generation and storage.
This field focuses on the discovery, design, and development of new materials with enhanced properties (strength, lightness, heat resistance, conductivity, biocompatibility, etc.). It encompasses materials characterization, synthesis, processing, and modeling at atomic and molecular levels. It includes nanomaterials, metamaterials, composites, ceramics, alloys, and polymers with tailored functionalities.
Becoming great in materials science requires strong foundations in physics (condensed matter physics, solid-state physics), chemistry, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, and computational materials science.
AI is making digital twins of the world and running new materials through endless simulations (at extremely high-fidelity) in order to discover the most productive paths forward.
Going back to the semiconductor discussion — fighting the laws of nature becomes easier when you can 3D print Vibranium, Unobtanium, and invent other new materials with power qualities.
Speaking of AI, that’s our next technology.
Artificial Intelligence
Think back to all the times I’ve referenced “the brains” in various fields working on new breakthroughs. Understand that AI is now a brain in this cognitive environment… a brain that gets bigger every day, more efficient every day and more capable by the second. Nearly every research facility, scientist and engineer on the planet has used AI in their work already. In fact, entirely agentic systems of AI robots (called agents) are busy running virtual experiments and mixing different recent discoveries to rapidly expand the surface area of our understanding.
What a world we are living in. What a wild world we are entering.
AI and ML are branches of computer science focused on creating intelligent systems that can learn, reason, and solve problems like humans. This includes deep learning, reinforcement learning, natural language processing (NLP), computer vision, robotics AI, and ethical AI development. It involves the design and implementation of algorithms, data analysis, model training, and system integration.
AI and ML are transformative technologies with applications across defense, intelligence, cybersecurity, logistics, manufacturing, and biotechnology. They enhance autonomous systems, improve decision-making, accelerate data analysis, strengthen cybersecurity defenses, and optimize complex operations. Dominance in AI is considered crucial for future military and economic competitiveness.
I have been suggesting America should have a modern Manhattan Project focusing on AI. This field breaks down into computer science, mathematics (linear algebra, calculus, probability theory, statistics), information theory, statistics, machine learning algorithms, software engineering, data science and many other fields.
Artificial intelligence is the key competency to hone and primary socioeconomic driver for the next 50-years. AI is no longer a futuristic fantasy; it is rapidly becoming an integral part of everyday life. From optimizing logistics to assisting in medical diagnoses, AI is transforming industries and improving efficiency across various sectors.
With AI as our partner, we can make real progress on the journeys that matter: eradicate poverty, cure diseases, and explore the cosmos, creating a world where the boundaries of human achievement are constantly pushed beyond what we can currently imagine.
Coming in a close second in terms of impact will be embodied AI, otherwise known as robots. Robotics is going to change our world as well, and guess what brain will drive them - artificial intelligence. It’s all connected.
Let’s look more deeply at robotics.
Autonomous Systems and Robotics
Autonomous systems are robots and other machines that can operate without direct human control.
Robotics encompasses the design, construction, operation, and application of robots. This includes robot kinematics and dynamics, control theory, sensor fusion, computer vision, path planning, navigation, AI for autonomy, and human-robot interaction. It spans aerial (drones), terrestrial, maritime and even space robots.
Autonomous systems enhance military capabilities (surveillance, reconnaissance, logistics, combat), reduce risk to human soldiers, and improve efficiency in various operations. They are crucial for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), as well as automated manufacturing and logistics.
America has had drones in space for over 2-decades.
Winning this critical domain requires expertise in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, control theory, AI, sensor technologies (lidar, radar, cameras, inertial measurement units - IMUs), robotics, software engineering, and increasingly decision-mapping + ethics for autonomous weapons systems.
Robots will outnumber humans 100-1 inside of 20 years. We will enjoy unprecedented economic leverage from this. A massive robot workforce will dramatically increase productivity and efficiency across all sectors of the economy. This will lead to lower costs for goods and services, increased economic output, and potentially even a shorter work week for humans.
With robots handling the majority of labor, humans would be free to pursue creative endeavors, focus on personal growth, and enjoy unprecedented leisure time. I see this kicking off a flourishing of art, culture, and scientific discovery, as people are liberated from the need to perform repetitive or dangerous tasks.
That means AI and Robotics discussion must necessarily include cybersecurity and cryptography.
Cybersecurity and Cryptography
Think about how much wealth (digital and physical) is accounted for and controlled via computers and other information systems.
Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting computer systems and networks from cyber threats (malware, hacking, data breaches, cyber warfare).
Cryptography is the science of secure communication in the presence of adversaries. It involves network security engineering, penetration testing, incident response, digital forensics, vulnerability analysis, secure software development, cryptographic algorithm design and analysis, and post-quantum cryptography research.
Protecting critical infrastructure, government systems, military networks, and sensitive data from cyberattacks is paramount. Strong cryptography is essential for secure communication and data protection. Cyber warfare capabilities are becoming increasingly important in modern conflicts. Cybersecurity resilience is a national imperative.
This increasingly vital fields involves a subset of computer science, networking, operating systems, software engineering, cryptography, digital forensics, reverse engineering, and security architecture.
One emerging technology may invalidate all of our cybersecurity and cryptography efforts, unfortunately.
Now we’re talking about about Quantum.
Quantum Computing
Quantum computers, with their ability to solve problems that classical computers have a near-zero chance to best, are poised to unlock new frontiers of scientific discovery.
Put very simply: there are too many potential doors to open with the optimal answer behind it… classical computing won’t work. We can’t brute force these with 1’s and 0’s.
We need a tool that can open every door in the problem space at once.
Quantum computing leverages quantum mechanical phenomena (superposition, entanglement) to perform computations that are intractable for classical computers. This field involves quantum algorithm design, quantum hardware development (qubits based on superconducting circuits, trapped ions, photons, etc.), quantum error correction, and quantum cryptography (quantum key distribution - QKD, post-quantum cryptography).
Quantum computing has the potential to break current encryption algorithms (a significant cybersecurity threat) and accelerate the development of new materials, pharmaceuticals, and AI algorithms. Quantum cryptography offers potentially unbreakable communication security — the upside benefit of the issues quantum will cause modern encryption methods. Control over quantum technologies will be a defining factor in future strategic advantage.
Quantum, when it really arrives and makes meaningful contact with our problems, will open up entirely unseen doors to undiscovered worlds.
It will have huge implications for biotechnology, precision manufacturing and space exploration.
Let’s close out our view of the key technologies that will determine the future by looking at each of those.
Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing
CRISPR gene editing technology and other advancements in biotechnology are opening up new possibilities for treating diseases and improving human health. The U.S. is at the forefront of this bio revolution, developing innovative therapies and engaging in a very critical (and far too long in the making) national dialogue about the ethical implications of these powerful technologies.
Biotechnology is the application of biological systems and organisms to develop technologies and products. Biomanufacturing is the use of biological systems for industrial-scale production. This includes genetic engineering, synthetic biology, gene editing (CRISPR), biopharmaceuticals, biofuels, biosensors, biomaterials, and bioprinting. It involves cellular and molecular biology, biochemistry, microbiology, and genetic engineering techniques.
Biotechnology has applications in biodefense (detection and countermeasures against biological threats), biopharmaceuticals (vaccines, therapeutics), biofuels (energy security), and advanced materials. Biomanufacturing can produce critical pharmaceuticals, enzymes, and other bio-based products domestically, reducing reliance on foreign sources. Synthetic biology has the potential to create novel materials and capabilities, but also raises biosecurity concerns.
Requires expertise in biology (molecular biology, cell biology, microbiology, genetics), chemistry (biochemistry, organic chemistry), chemical engineering, genetic engineering, bioinformatics, immunology, and pharmacology.
Biomanufacturing is an incredibly exciting field with huge implications for power generation and storage, computing (organic), healthcare and dozens of other areas of our lives.
Let’s discuss a related field that will be influenced heavily by biomanufacturing as well: precision manufacturing.
Precision Manufacturing
Precision manufacturing (PM) is all about achieving incredibly tight tolerances, making parts that fit together perfectly and function flawlessly in high-performance applications like aerospace, medical devices, and optics. Think of the intricate gears in a Swiss watch or the precisely shaped components in a jet engine.
Precision manufacturing techniques, including 3D printing and robotics, are revitalizing industry. These advanced technologies are enabling the creation of customized products with higher quality and efficiency, driving economic growth and creating new jobs.
Precision manufacturing focuses on producing parts and components with extremely high accuracy and tolerances (micrometer and nanometer scale). Advanced manufacturing encompasses innovative manufacturing technologies like additive manufacturing (3D printing), advanced machining (e.g., laser cutting, electro-discharge machining - EDM), microfabrication, and automation in manufacturing processes.
There is an incredible diversity in the fields that drive PM forward such as mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, robotics, control theory, metrology, computer-aided design (the infamous CAD), computer-aided manufacturing, and process control engineering to name the big ones. More than 100 in total.
Precision manufacturing is essential for producing everything that requires high-performance, such as military systems (missile guidance systems, sensors, optics), advanced electronics, and critical infrastructure components. Additive manufacturing enables rapid prototyping, on-demand production of spare parts, and complex geometries, enhancing supply chain resilience and manufacturing agility. Automation increases efficiency and reduces reliance on human labor in strategic industries.
We really cannot progress further in microelectronics without major advances in both materials science and precision manufacturing.
These tools are going to help us increase the efficiency across nearly every process and industry worldwide.
Especially up in space.
Space Technologies
America's renewed commitment to space exploration is not only expanding our understanding of the universe but also driving innovation and creating new economic opportunities.
From orbiting space stations to plans for a return to the Moon and a crewed mission to Mars, the U.S. is reclaiming its position as a leader in space exploration.
Space is becoming an increasingly contested domain, requiring space situational awareness and defense capabilities. Cybersecurity of space systems is paramount. Space-based assets are critical for communication, navigation (aka GPS), surveillance, intelligence gathering, missile warning, weather forecasting, and earth observation, all vital for military operations, intelligence, and civilian infrastructure.
It also represents the largest economic opportunity… ever.
Space technologies encompass all technologies related to space exploration, space-based assets, and satellite systems. This includes satellite design and manufacturing, launch systems, spacecraft propulsion, remote sensing, satellite communication, space robotics, space situational awareness, and even space cybersecurity. This domains requires expertise in aerospace engineering, astronautical engineering, electrical engineering, physics (orbital mechanics, astrophysics - p.s. this was my favorite class in college), computer science, cybersecurity, materials science, propulsion systems engineering, and remote sensing.
See how everything starts to intersect and influence each other?
The Convergence of Technologies
The lines between these key technologies are blurring.
AI is accelerating materials discovery, robotics is revolutionizing manufacturing, and quantum computing is poised to disrupt everything we know about information processing. This convergence of technologies is creating a positive feedback loop, driving innovation at an exponential pace.
Imagine a world where AI-powered robots, built with advanced materials and guided by quantum computers, explore the depths of space, build sustainable cities, and cure diseases. This is not science fiction; it is the future within our grasp. By embracing these technologies and fostering their integration, we can unlock a new era of progress, where the impossible becomes possible.
The technologies outlined above represent the frontiers of human ingenuity, the keys to unlocking a future of unprecedented prosperity, security, and knowledge. But technology alone is not enough. We need a global commitment to innovation, a resurgence of the spirit that sent humans to the moon and split the atom.
We need policies and politicians that encourage risk-taking, that reward breakthroughs, and that cultivate the next generation of scientists and engineers. We need a society that values learning, that embraces progress, and that understands the transformative power of technology.
The future is not something that happens to us; it is something we build.
Let us choose to create a future where technology empowers us, where challenges become opportunities, and where the boundaries of human potential are constantly redefined.
Let us use these technologies to build a world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, where knowledge is power, and where the human spirit soars to new heights.
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I started Life in the Singularity in May 2023 to track all the accelerating changes in AI/ML, robotics, quantum computing and the rest of the technologies accelerating humanity forward into the future. I’m an investor in over a dozen technology companies and I needed a canvas to unfold and examine all the acceleration and breakthroughs across science and technology.
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