President Trump has finally picked his tech czar, elevating Deputy U.S. Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios to the top post after a string of achievements in directing the administration’s efforts on 5G, national broadband, drones, and artificial intelligence.
“Our primary goal is to ensure American leadership,” he said in an interview.
“We are going to continue to pursue what I would argue is one of the most aggressive technology agendas and this includes continued efforts in artificial intelligence, in quantum computing, in 5G and in advanced manufacturing,” he said, adding that his goal is to make the U.S. technology the “greatest.”
Kratsios has been the administration’s top tech adviser at the Office of Science and Technology Policy, though at the deputy level. Now, he will head that office. He joined the administration after working with Thiel Capital founded by Trump ally Peter Thiel.
By giving him the top job, the Trump tech agenda appears set for take-off.
Fellow tech advocate and first daughter Ivanka Trump heralded the pick. The senior presidential adviser said Kratsios will help in her bid to increase the number of high-tech jobs and education opportunities.
She told Secrets, “This administration has actively been pursuing a national technology policy agenda that embraces innovation while ensuring inclusive growth in a time of rapid workplace change. For the past two years, Michael has worked alongside the administration to ensure all Americans benefit from cutting-edge technologies while advancing American dominance in the industries of the future.”
Trump added, “From AI research and development, to STEM education, to expanding rural broadband, we’ve made critical strides in empowering our nation’s greatest innovators, thinkers, and doers.”
Former President Obama’s tech chief also applauded the appointment. Aneesh Chopra said, Kratsios “has demonstrated sound judgment on prioritizing policies that will enhance American competitiveness in the jobs and industries of the future, and for working collaboratively across the public and private sectors to spark breakthroughs.”
Kratsios said he is eager to bring Internet access to rural communities, citing a $600 million Agriculture Department program to help farming communities.
Modernizing broadband in smaller towns, he said, would give residents the same advantages and opportunities of those in big cities and could help those who want to stay local remain in their communities.
“To me one of the best stories around broadband expansion is the ability for Americans across the country to stay in their hometowns, to work in their hometowns, to have access to things like telemedicine and to be able to grow and build businesses without having to move from were they grew up,” he said.
Like many in the administration, Kratsios has a business background that gives him a different focus on projects than past tech czars with academic and political resumes.
“We are very action-oriented and results-focused. A lot of times, politicians spend a lot of time discussing the importance of issues and pontificating about them. But what we’ve made a big effort to do over the last two years is to look at each of our top technology priorities and deliver specific actionable policy wins for the country,” he explained.
According to the White House, the following are the key moves under Kratsios:
- Trump signed an executive order launching the American Artificial Intelligence Initiative to secure American leadership in AI research and development, remove barriers to AI innovation, and prepare the AI workforce for the future.
- He led White House efforts to advance the bipartisan National Quantum Initiative Act. It drives accelerating quantum R&D, strengthens partnerships across government, academia, and industry, and authorizes $1.2 billion over five years for quantum Pushed for a National Spectrum Strategy to help America win the global race to 5G.
- Urged expansion of access to high-speed broadband, including for an executive order in January 2018 streamlining and expediting requests to locate broadband facilities in rural America.
- Championed the Drone Integration Pilot Program to open up America’s skies for commercial drone operations.
- Convened federal and state STEM leaders for a first-of-its-kind White House summit, later using their input to inform the development of a new national strategy for STEM Education.
- Pushed for development of a national strategy to ensure American competitiveness in advanced manufacturing.
Several other Trump aides and allies also joined Ivanka Trump in welcoming the elevation of Kratsios.
Jared Kushner, senior advisor to the president said, “Since the transition, Michael has been a leader on implementing the Trump Administration’s policies advancing innovation, transparency and better government. Michael’s nomination as U.S. Chief Technology Officer is well deserved and will further catalyze these efforts.”
Energy Secretary Rick Perry said, “America is in the midst of a time of enormous growth, opportunity and evolution in the world of technology. The Trump administration is committed to keeping American technology strong and superior to our competitors. Michael Kratsios is the right man for this mission.”
And Gary Shapiro, chief of the Consumer Technology Association said, “Michael Kratsios is a perfect choice to be our nation’s next chief technology officer. In the last two years, he has elevated and celebrated American innovation to ensure cutting-edge technologies will be able to save lives, improve the environment and propel medicine and science. Michael has what it takes to be the U.S. CTO championing advances in 5G, artificial intelligence, robotics, self-driving vehicles and quantum computing.”
