As artificial intelligence reshapes every industry, America stands at a crossroads. We can either double down on our greatest competitive advantage, attracting the world’s brightest minds, or watch our AI leadership slowly migrate to countries that have figured out what we haven’t: immigration policy is technology policy.
After over a decade leading AI initiatives at Microsoft, democratizing natural language processing that serves millions globally, I’ve seen both the promise and the peril of our current moment. The engineers and researchers building tomorrow’s breakthroughs are increasingly weighing their options. The question isn’t whether they want to build in America, it’s whether America wants to make it possible.
The Talent Pipeline America Built
Let’s start with what we’re doing