House Oversight Comments on Artificial Intelligence and American Power

ITIF President Robert D. Atkinson provided comments at a House Oversight joint roundtable on April 16 regarding AI and American power.

• Main points: Atkinson argued that AI is a general-purpose technology that could help resolve America’s productivity crisis; boosting productivity 1 percentage point per year would lead to a 22 percent larger U.S. GDP by 2045 and reduce annual deficits by $640 billion. He also flagged a growing backlash against building more data centers despite commitments from leading AI model developers to avoid raising consumer electricity prices.
• Competition and evidence: He emphasized intense international competition—noting 50 notable U.S. models in 2025 versus 30 in China, China’s growth in research share (top 100 most-cited AI papers from 33% in 2021 to 41% in 2024), and South Korea leading in AI patents per capita; he warned of techno-economic leverage and potential military advantages if China wins the AI race.
  • Event details:
    • Date: April 16, 2026
    • Event: Joint roundtable by the U.S. House Oversight Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs and the Oversight Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs
    • Reference:https://oversight.house.gov/roundtable/artificial-intelligence-and-american-power-leadership-security-and-prosperity/