[ Interesting Engineering ] Here’s What the US Tech Bill Really Means for the Next Industrial Revolution

Here’s What the US Tech Bill Really Means for the Next Industrial Revolution

The sci-fi world of tomorrow just turned in our direction. The U.S. Senate just voted in overwhelming approval for a bill designed to jump-start key technological advancements of the 21st century, taking up the challenge of outpacing growing economic competition from its new rival: China. Called the “U.S.

The U.S. Senate just voted in overwhelming approval for a bill designed to jump-start key technological advancements of the 21st century, taking up the challenge of outpacing growing economic competition from its new rival: China.

Called the “U.S. Innovation and Competition Act” (formerly the “Endless Frontiers Act”), the new bill passed on a 68-32 vote, and it could serve as the early kick-off of the next industrial revolution, triggering unprecedented advances in AI, semiconductor manufacturing, and even space travel.

The new tech bill calls for colossal investments in artificial intelligence research, semiconductor manufacturing, quantum computing, robotics, and several other technologies and industries. Fear that inaction could leave the U.S. dependent on a major geopolitical rival is believed to be the driving force behind the overwhelming success of the bill. 

the giant tech bill allocated $10 billion toward the development of private crewed landers for NASA. The funds will largely be allocated to the agency’s Artemis program, which aims to construct a sustainable human presence on and in orbit of the moon before the screaming 2020s are finished.