The Center for Strategic and International Studies held a live panel discussion July 12 on the recently published report on competing for the future of cloud computing.
The report makes the case that building trustworthy cloud computing is an economic development and foreign policy priority for democratic nations — and it focuses on the Latin American experience, according to CSIS event information.
"The report argues that cloud is a strategic driver of economic growth and national security," Bill Whyman, moderator for the panel and principal of Tech Dynamics, said at the event. "Macroeconomic level cloud drives growth, job creation, productivity, and, on a micro level, cloud is a platform for innovation, it drives efficiency, resiliency and economic competitiveness."
Cloud computing is an influential and advanced technology, the event information reported. Nations that embrace cloud computing are reportedly poised for tremendous success in the global economy in the future, while those hesitant to adopt it risk lagging. The strategic implications of cloud computing and its providers are significant, as it will serve as the base for the digital infrastructure worldwide. This is key to the continued competition of the West versus China.
In the strategic competition with China, digitalization has assumed a central role due to its significance in fostering economic growth, according to an April 10 CSIS release. As Zbigniew Brzezinski noted in 1997, it introduces "novel dimensions of power."
It is imperative for U.S. foreign policy to acknowledge these new dimensions, the CSIS release reported.
At the core of digitalization lies cloud computing, which is revolutionizing economies by offering advantages in cost, security and performance, according to the release. Consequently, policymakers have shifted their attention to cloud computing, recognizing its impact on tech governance, sovereignty and economic competitiveness. This development has further fueled geopolitical competition in the realm of technology.
The Biden administration plans to limit Chinese companies' entry into U.S. cloud computing services, according to a July 4 Wall Street Journal report. This action could escalate tensions between the global economic powerhouses and exacerbate the strain in their relationship. The Biden administration's move follows China's July 3 announcement that it would impose export limitations on metals utilized in the production of advanced chips.
The CSIS event information reported the panel included Whyman, Steve Lang, deputy secretary of state for International Information and Communications Policy; Antonio Garcia Zaballos, lead telecommunications specialist and broadband platform coordinator of the Inter-American Development Bank; and Jonathan McHale, vice president of digital trade at the Computer and Communications Industry Association.
"First, I'll just emphasize that the administration has a positive vision of digital technologies that, as President Biden said of the U.N., uplifts and empowers people, creates new opportunities for individuals and businesses in a healthy competitive environment, and that respects human rights and freedom of expression," Lang said at the event. "So as countries seek to develop a vibrant technology and innovation ecosystems to seize the promises of the digital economy, they should build that on the solid foundation of trustworthy ICT infrastructure, from 5g to cloud and beyond."
Zaballos was asked how economics and security issues affect Latin American countries regarding the cloud. He also focused on insights that can be used to craft tools or solutions that respond to the need to hit the economic and security concerns during the event.
"In many countries in Latin America, the challenge is not just about how to protect the infrastructure assets," Zaballos said at the event. "It's also how we will protect the information flowing through that infrastructure."
