Sam Howell

In my latest @CNASdc report, I take stock of the global competition to build and scale quantum computers, with a particular focus on the U.S.-China dynamic. cnas.org/publications/r…

🚨NEW: "Sovereign AI" is ubiquitous in today's policy debate, but what does it actually look like in practice? To answer that, we've just launched the CNAS Sovereign AI Index, which tracks 130+ sovereign AI projects across 50 countries.

Come work with us @CNASdc!

"The discovery of CCP-linked biolabs in Las Vegas and Reedley should serve as a wake-up call for U.S. policymakers." Read more from @Sam_Howell15 in @lawfare on how the U.S. is unprepared to counter biological hazards, putting Americans’ safety at risk. cnas.org/publications/c…

The discovery of a suspected biolab in Las Vegas is the latest example of suspected CCP-linked biolabs on American soil. @Sam_Howell15 explores how policymakers should improve federal oversight of unauthorized biological research activity to protect Americans.

Policymakers must act decisively to close the gaps before another unauthorized biolab is discovered—or worse, before American citizens pay the price for one that goes undetected.

Absent policy change—including comprehensive oversight of private biological research, mandatory reporting requirements for pathogen acquisition, and a deeper understanding of how biological agents might be weaponized—the United States remains vulnerable.

In my latest with @lawfare, I detail the recent discovery of an unauthorized biolab in Las Vegas. The owner of the lab—Zhu Jia Bei—was arrested and indicted for his involvement with a similar unauthorized biolab in Reedley, California in 2023. lawfaremedia.org/article/two-il…

1/Very pleased to share my new @CNASdc report on quantum supply chains, coauthored with John Burke. It follows nearly two years of research, roundtables, and dozens of expert interviews across the U.S. quantum ecosystem. Key insights and link below.

New @WarOnTheRocks piece from Michelle Holko, John Wilbanks, and I on the importance of biodata to U.S. tech leadership.

In this short essay, my @CNASdc colleague @gibbs_mckinley adapts our “global swing states” framework to identify pivotal African countries - and sketch a path for U.S. engagement. Check it out: cnas.org/publications/c…

Read more about our ongoing biotechnology work @CNASdc here: cnas.org/research/techn…

These interventions will help ensure that U.S. biodata is secure, standardized, and strategically governed across health and non-health domains alike.

And 2) the United States should build a cloud-based federal biodata portal that allows researchers to train AI models on protected data.

Meanwhile, U.S. adversaries are investing heavily in state-controlled biotechnology ecosystems in which AI and biodata infrastructure co-evolve. The United States now risks a future in which these adversaries control the means to feed, heal, and even defend U.S. citizens.

We propose two solutions to reassert the United States’ biotechnology advantage. 1) the United State should commission biological datasets that are purpose-made for AI, rather than a traditional hypothesis-led research agenda.

Existing U.S. biodata repositories are ill-prepared to meet the AI moment. The United States’ current biodata infrastructure lacks the diversity and structure needed for model development.

In this @just_security piece, Michelle Holko, John Wilbanks and I argue that access to biodata specifically designed for AI model development is key to U.S. biotechnology leadership in the twenty-first century. justsecurity.org/130841/us-biot…

But the United States cannot realize this potential without high-quality, secure biodata—the very foundation of AI models. In the age of AI, biodata is a strategic national asset comparable to semiconductors or critical minerals.

AI promises to boost biotechnology innovation by enabling researchers to predict, design, and control biological systems, supercharging everything from drug discovery and diagnostics to bio-based materials and fuels.