“It’s the responsibility of a Technology Publication to share new ideas and challenge the status quo.Linda Restrepo Editor/Publisher
And when a Publication fails to include different experiences, beliefs, and ideas, they miss out on a true perspective of Our Global Environment.”
The World we currently live in is getting to be an ugly place. You should consider yourself lucky in fact if you can count five true friends on your hand. This article is intended to provoke thought, not to solve any issues or present a comprehensive view on the topic.
Historically conflicts between Nations evolve around trade/economic wars; technology wars, capital wars, geopolitical wars, and military wars. Currently, we are watching all of these evolve around us. The response of Leaders and people will determine an outcome. Disabling an enemy often starts with asset freezes and seizures, blocking capital markets, embargoes, and blockades, sound familiar? Once any of these situations go into action, it becomes hard to back down from them. These functions now become more intense and spread faster through the Internet. Lateral movement or the ability to move from system to system is critical for enemies to disarm one another.
Cyber attacks present an opportunity for the enemy to move and gain access to your environment. All major critical infrastructure sectors from manufacturing, automotive, energy, chemical, water, management, etc., are in danger with more and larger ransom demands being made and paid. With the Russian Ukraine war we are all witnessing for the first time (on our computers) a hybrid war at an international level. In seconds national economies can be destroyed as well as critical infrastructure. In a cyberwar there is no specified front lines, the line is unknown and the attacker having the upper hand can strike at any time, anywhere. Solidifying your position has always been a key element to survival but this cannot be achieved if you engage in battles with everyone.
It’s like bowling you can’t knock down all the pins, all the time, and eventually, you lose. Throughout History arch rivals have often worked together if the outcome is favorable, more favorable to both of them than the alternative of frontal attacks on each other. Diverse situations require diverse allies.
It has long been the perspective that Federally funded research and development (R&D)
The U.S. government collaborates and supports foreign entities such as China - yes - China, this is not a typographical error.
contributes to innovation, the economy, and national security.
And within this realm, federal agencies have provided research funds to foreign entities such as universities, laboratories, and public health organizations. We also collaborated with foreign entities in the amount of $1.4 billion for “one of a kind” R&D in 2020. The US committed $2 billion to multilateral institutions to promote U.S. and global security (Highlights of GAO 22 105313, a report to congressional requesters).
For example, collaboration with foreign entities can provide researchers in the U.S. with access to one of a kind scientific tools like the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak in China, internal designation HT 7U, is an experimental superconducting tokamak magnetic fusion energy reactor in Hefei, China. The Hefei Institute of Physical Science is conducting the experiment for the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It has operated since 2006.
In November 2022, China’s military touted its new J 20 advanced stealth fighter allegedly built with stolen American military technology.
U.S. agencies provide federal research funds to foreign and domestic entities, primarily through grants and cooperative agreements. Federal research funds are generally provided directly by a federal agency to an award recipient or indirectly through a U.S. or foreign award recipient to a subrecipient An award recipient is an entity, either foreign or domestic, that receives an award directly from a federal awarding agency. A subrecipient is an entity that receives funds to carry out part of the work. An award recipient can pass on some portion of the funds to a subrecipient to conduct part of the work. The subrecipient receives the funds through a subaward from the award recipient. This entity is often referred to as a first tier
See 2 C.F.R. § 200.1.
See 2 C.F.R. § 200.1.
GAO 22 105313 Federal Research subrecipient. These subrecipients, in turn, can pass on a portion of the funds they receive to other subrecipients (second tier, third tier, etc.).
According to US Senator Joni Ernst, it is “China, not the U.S., who is the ultimate beneficiary of DoD and other [U.S. government] research investments,” the Pentagon’s latest review concluded.
In November 2022, China’s military touted its new J 20 advanced stealth fighter allegedly built with stolen American military technology. You’re probably reading this article hoping to gain some perspective of the entire mess and since you’ve read this far without shutting me out, I’ll try not to disappoint you.
The German physicist (Georg Christoph) Lichtenberg (1742 1799) once wrote.
“There can be no greater impediment to progress in the sciences than the wish to determine its outcome at too early a stage”. I can paraphrase this, there is no greater impediment to technology than formalized organizational charts which tell us more about what we “can’t do” than what we “can do”. These little boxes identify functional islands with no options for change of plans or diversification which is not conducive to progress. Technology requires that we seize every opportunity and never mind whose responsibility it is. We find enough limitations on our options because of external events, government regulations, and the prior decisions of unknown biased individuals who knew nothing at the time and even less today.
Unprecedented periods of uncertainty require creative anticipatory paths. As Technology advances this problem becomes larger, take a Historical look at what happened to the Federal Government. The basic organizational design was developed 200 years ago, for a small isolated, simple, rural society. Over the years it has been tinkered with bureaus, commissions, and power steering committees until the old chassis was completely overloaded it is inadequate for a technology based society grown huge and hideously complex. In a way, they operate outside of the system because the system superimposed over them won’t work. Maybe the worst thing we can do is to function as an efficient organization because this kind of perfection leads to rigidity. It leaves no room for mistakes.
Yesterday’s enemies are todays BFF’s and we hold them close to our hearts but not too close least they decide to stick a dagger through it. American Corporations still function in China. For example, Apple has an assembly facility located in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhous where iPhones are produced. Run by Foxconn, one of Apple’s largest suppliers which also manufactures electronic products for major American, Canadian, Chinese, Finnish, and Japanese companies.
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. (TWSE: 2317), trading as Hon Hai Technology Group in China and Taiwan, or Foxconn internationally, is a Taiwanese multinational electronics contract manufacturer with its headquarters in Tucheng, New Taipei City, Taiwan, established in 1974. In 2021, the Group's annual revenue reached NT$5.99 trillion and was ranked 22nd in the 2021 Fortune Global 500. Foxconn also has huge twin plant operations in Mexico across the border in El Paso, Texas. Apple and other Tech Corporations are shifting out of China in response to growing concerns about the geopolitical tensions and pandemic induced supply chain disruptions that have involved China in the last few years.
Change has always been with us. What is new today is the change in the rate of change brought about by Exponential Technologies. Free market economies help drive globalization. Globalization helps kindle the Exponential Age and Free market capitalism has unleashed the power of exponentially. In recent years these technologies have been developing at unprecedented rates as they improve, they combine and recombine, creating more and more possibilities. Exponential Technology is the type of technology that grows at an exponential rate. It does this through conversion which is one technology interacting with another technology.
Where Price Performance makes it possible to solve today’s business problems in ways that were not previously possible.
Exponential Technologies include but are not limited to:
Artificial Intelligence § Augmented and Virtual Reality
Robotics
Quantum Technology
Machine Learning § Autonomous Vehicles § the IoT § Blockchain Technology is not neutral neither is it applied evenly”.
We are living in a Century of No Return. Computers process information much faster than a Human Brain. We are actually "brain limited" in our capacity to keep up with the complexities and the application of technology. But, our lack of ability will not stop the advancement of exponential technologies. As the world becomes interconnected by information it becomes easier for technology to span the world at pace.
We do not know how it will unfold, but the response to it must be integrated and comprehensive. Stakeholders to include the global polity, public and private sectors, governments, academia and civil society.
Sometimes it is not that we have an enemy as much as it is a situation of diverse values this is where Diplomacy fits in. Diplomacy can be defined as the ability to maintain peaceful relationships between nations, groups, or individuals, specifically in key areas such as conflict, trade, the environment, technology, and cybersecurity. It is a basic principle of physics to increase the number of interfaces. In a global society, it is what we need to do, to increase opportunities, to be exposed to each other, to interact with each other, and work with each other on key areas of technology and cybersecurity. The more organizations make decisions at the interface level, where the problem is, the more active and aggressive your organization will be.
Globalization is the increasing connectedness and interdependence of world cultures and economies. During wars and other situations, it is sometimes reduced but make no doubt about it
Globalization will also exist. We have become too interdependent on other nations for it to be any other way.
Linda Restrepo
As we move forward to a new world, let us set our priorities in terms of the probable, rather than the merely possible.
Linda Restrepo is Director of Education and Innovation Human Health Education and Research Foundation. She is a recognized Women in Technology Leader Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence.
Restrepo's expertise includes Exponential Technologies, Computer Algorithms, Research, Implementation Management of Complex Human machine Systems, Global Economic Impacts Research. Restrepo is President of a global government and military defense multidisciplinary research and strategic development firm.
She has directed Corporate Technology Commercialization through the US National Laboratories. Emerging Infectious Diseases, Restrepo is also the Chief Executive Officer of Professional Global Outreach. Restrepo has advanced degrees from The University of Texas and New Mexico State University.
LINDA RESTREPO | PUBLISHER EDITOR
DISCLAIMER: This Magazine is designed to provide information, entertainment and motivation to our readers. It does not render any type of political, cybersecurity, computer programming, defense strategy, ethical, legal or any other type of professional advice. It is not intended to, neither should it be construed as a comprehensive evaluation of any topic. The content of this Presentation is the sole expression and opinion of the authors. No warranties or guarantees are expressed or implied by the authors or the Editor. Neither the authors nor the Editor are liable for any physical, psychological, emotional, financial, or commercial damages, including, but not limited to, special, incidental, consequential or other damages. You are responsible for your own choices, actions, and results.
LINDA RESTREPO | PUBLISHER EDITOR