The White House has released an updated list of Critical and Emerging Technologies (“CET List”), which will serve to inform a forthcoming strategy on U.S. technological competitiveness and national security.
Critical and emerging technologies (CETs) are a subset of advanced technologies that are potentially significant to U.S. national security. The 2021 Interim National Security Strategic Guidance defines three national security objectives: protect the security of the American people, expand economic prosperity and opportunity, and realize and defend democratic values. This list identifies CETs with the potential to further these objectives and builds on the October 2020 National Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technologies, which contains an initial list of priority CETs.
The U.S. Government, the private sector, and allies and partners must understand and remain focused on developing and deploying the technologies that are most critical to our national security, economic prosperity, and to realizing and defending our democratic values. In addition, our joint leadership in CETs faces growing challenges from strategic competitors and adversaries who recognize the benefits of CET and are organizing human and capital resources on a national scale to challenge our lead in areas with long-term consequences.
In response to these challenges, the United States remains unwaveringly committed to advancing technology leadership with our allies and partners to protect our shared security interests, economic prosperity, and democratic values.
