State Dept. Launches Critical and Emerging Tech Office

A new office to oversee the State Department’s policies surrounding emerging technologies officially began work this week. The Office of the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology, which is headed by Deputy Envoy Seth Center, will “provide a center of expertise and energy” to help the agency develop and coordinate critical and emerging technology foreign policy, the State Department said. This includes engaging U.S. allies on emerging technology issues, including biotechnology, advanced computing, artificial intelligence and quantum information technologies. The office will work in “close coordination with the various bureaus and offices across the Department that are engaging on these and other technology topics that are central to our foreign policy.”