The global technology policy landscape is entering a pivotal year. In the United States, the AI governance debate has evolved from whether to preempt state-level regulation to what a substantive federal framework might actually contain. Internationally, competition between Washington and Beijing is accelerating, with semiconductors and compute capacity now central to national security strategy. The same competitive logic is shaping quantum computing, where the United States, Europe, and China are rethinking national programs while navigating fragile supply chains. As global technology competition intensifies, new security risks are emerging. The first publicly reported AI-orchestrated hacking campaign appeared in 2025, and agentic AI systems are expected to reshape the offense-defense balance in cyberspace in the year ahead. More broadly, as AI diffuses through societies, policymakers must grapple with its implications for democracy, human rights, and the distribution of power between states and their citizens.
Key Trends that Will Shape Tech Policy in 2026 (Just Security)
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