Special Competitive Studies Project

The Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) is a non-partisan U.S. think tank and private foundation focused on technology and security. Founded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt in October 2021,^[1][2] SCSP's stated mission is to "make recommendations to strengthen America’s long-term competitiveness as artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies are reshaping our national security, economy, and society." It seeks to ensure that "America is positioned and organized to win the techno-economic competition between now and 2030."^[3]

Special Competitive Studies Project

Abbreviation	SCSP
Formation	October 2021
Founder	Eric Schmidt
Purpose	AI & national security
Headquarters	1550 Crystal Dr, Arlington, VA 22202
Location	Arlington, VA, US
Chairman	Eric Schmidt
Board of directors	Michèle Flournoy, Nadia Schadlow, Robert O. Work, Mac Thornberry
Staff	30
Website	https://www.scsp.ai

SCSP is also a subsidiary of The Eric & Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation, the Schmidt family's private foundation.^[4][5][6]

History

Inspired by the Rockefeller Special Studies Project launched in the 1950s and led by Henry Kissinger,^[7] SCSP seeks to expand on the work of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence by including other emerging technologies and issues of concern in its analyses.^[8]

Leadership

As of December 2023, SCSP's president and CEO is Ylli Bajraktari, former executive director of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI). Former NSCAI Chief of Staff Michael Gable serves as executive vice president, and former NSCAI Director of Operations and Designated Federal Officer Angela Ponmakha serves as vice president and Chief of Staff. There are 30 full-time staff members, including senior director for economy Liza Tobin, who formerly served as director for China at the White House National Security Council from 2019 to 2021.^[9][10][11]

Activities

SCSP's core work is divided into six panels, including: foreign policy, intelligence, defense, economy, society, and future tech platforms.^[12]

Recent notable events include the 2022 Global Emerging Technology Summit,^[13] at which Jake Sullivan,^[14] Kathleen H. Hicks,^[15] Wendy Sherman,^[16] Nancy Pelosi,^[17] among other former senior U.S. and foreign government officials, delivered remarks. In May 2023, SCSP hosted the Ash Carter Exchange on Innovation and National Security attended by senior U.S. defense officials.^[18][19] In September 2023, SCSP hosted the 2023 Global Emerging Technology Summit, for which US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered video remarks.^[20][21]

SCSP awarded a grant to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) to help with its Critical Technology Tracker project (published in March 2023).^[22] It also supports the Kissinger Center Papers project at Johns Hopkins University SAIS.^[23]

In late-November 2023, SCSP launched a joint project on "Artificial Intelligence, Human-Machine Teaming, and the Future of Intelligence Analysis” with ASPI in Canberra.^[24]

Board of advisors

As of December 2023, SCSP's board of advisors includes Michèle Flournoy, Nadia Schadlow, Robert O. Work, and William “Mac” Thornberry III.^[25]

Publications

Reports and Briefs

• Framework for Identifying Highly Consequential AI Use Cases, November 2023 (in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory)^[26]
• Generative AI: The Future of Innovation Power, September 2023^[27]

• AI Governance Authority Options Memo, June 2023^[28]

• Mid-Decade Challenges to National Competitiveness, September 2022^[29][30][31] In its coverage of the report, Axios wrote: "From SCSP's perspective, the geopolitical, technological, and ideological futures are all deeply interrelated: "By the end of this decade, we will know if we will live in a world shaped by free expression, tolerance, and self-determination or dictated by censorship and coercion."^[32]

See also

• List of think tanks in the United States

References

1. Wolfe, Frank (2021-10-05). "Eric Schmidt to Helm National Artificial Intelligence/Emerging Technologies Project". Defense Daily. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
2. Javers, Eamon (2022-10-24). "How Google's former CEO Eric Schmidt helped write A.I. laws in Washington without publicly disclosing investments in A.I. startups". CNBC. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
3. "What We Do". SCSP. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
4. "About". SCSP. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
5. Roberts, Andrea Suozzo, Ken Schwencke, Mike Tigas, Sisi Wei, Alec Glassford, Brandon (2013-05-09). "The Eric And Wendy Schmidt Fund For Strategic Innovation - Nonprofit Explorer". ProPublica. Retrieved 2023-06-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
6. "About – The Schmidt Family Foundation". Retrieved 2023-06-13.
7. "In Depth: The Special Studies Project". Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
8. "What We Do". SCSP. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
9. "Who We Are". SCSP. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
10. Abonyi, Michael (2023-08-23). "Confronting Beijing's Weaponized Economy". FDD. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
11. Caruso-Cabrera, Michelle (2023-09-20). "Xi's economic policies are leaving many China watchers perplexed and confused". CNBC. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
12. "The Panels". SCSP. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
13. "Global Emerging Technology Summit". SCSP. 2022-09-16. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
14. House, The White (2022-09-16). "Remarks by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at the Special Competitive Studies Project Global Emerging Technologies Summit". The White House. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
15. "Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks Remarks in a Fireside Chat at the Special C". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
16. "Global Emerging Technology Summit, REMARKS, WENDY R. SHERMAN, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE". Retrieved June 13, 2023.
17. SCSP Global Emerging Technology Summit: Nancy Pelosi, retrieved 2023-06-13
18. "The Ash Carter Exchange on Innovation and National Security". SCSP. 2023-05-09. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
19. "Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks Keynote Address at the Ash Carter Exchange on I". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
20. Orne, Ariana (2023-08-30). "Media Advisory: SCSP's Global Emerging Technology Summit, September 21". SCSP. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
21. "Secretary Antony J. Blinken Video Remarks at the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP)'s Global Emerging Tech Summit". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
22. "ASPI's Critical Technology Tracker - AUKUS updates". Retrieved June 13, 2023.
23. "The Kissinger Center Papers". Johns Hopkins SAIS. 2023-04-18. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
24. Orne, Ariana (2023-12-04). "SCSP and ASPI Launch a New Project on Artificial Intelligence, Human-Machine Teaming, and the Future of Intelligence Analysis". SCSP. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
25. "Who We Are". SCSP. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
26. "Framework for Identifying Highly Consequential AI Use Cases" (PDF). Special Competitive Studies Project. November 7, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
27. "Generative AI: The Future of Innovation Power - by SCSP". SCSP. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
28. "AI Governance Authority Options Memo" (PDF). Special Competitive Studies Project. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
29. "Mid-Decade Challenges to National Competitiveness" (PDF). Special Competitive Studies Project. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
30. Fried, Ina (September 12, 2022). "Report: Losing tech race with China could cost U.S. trillions". Axios.
31. "Experts Warn US Is Falling Behind China in Key Technologies". VOA. 2022-09-17. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
32. Fried, Ina (September 12, 2022). "Report: Losing tech race with China could cost U.S. trillions". Axios. Retrieved October 27, 2023.