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It’s the honor of a lifetime to serve as the NTIA Administrator at such a critical moment for the agency.  With nearly two months now under my belt, I’m thrilled to stand before you and share my vision on how NTIA, together with our federal and industry partners, can advance American-led spectrum innovation for the next decade and beyond.

NTIA’s mission is to build a better-connected world. That work includes: ensuring sufficient spectrum resources for both commercial and federal use; Fostering a secure and resilient supply chain for 5G and future technologies; and connecting everyone in America to reliable, affordable high-speed Internet service.

Let me start by saying that data centers are not new, but the way we’re using them is. Even before artificial intelligence supercharged demand, data centers have been a linchpin of our digital economy.

I’m happy to be here on behalf of NTIA to celebrate the collaboration and technical work on spectrum sharing that brings us together today.

“6G Summit” Hosted by ATIS Next G Alliance Recorded remarks of Alan Davidson Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information National Telecommunications and Information Administration Irving, Texas May 21, 2024

Written Statement of Alan Davidson  Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information  National Telecommunications and Information Administration U.S. Department of Commerce  Before the House Committee on Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Communications & Technology

Thank you, Alan. I also want to thank CSIS for hosting this conversation. As you all know, we depend on our phones for daily life. But without a secure supply chain for network equipment, these devices – and everything we use them for – is at risk. We saw firsthand the fragility of our supply chains during the pandemic and learned the importance of building resilient networks. That is what our Wireless Innovation Fund is all about. The goal is to ensure we have a diverse range of high-quality suppliers who can plug their equipment into different parts of the mobile network. This will both strengthen the supply chain and improve competition, in turn driving innovation and network efficiencies.

The Biden-Harris Administration is answering the call to maintain our global competitiveness. The Administration is taking a comprehensive approach to advancing network infrastructure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, NTIA’s Wireless Innovation Fund (established under that Act), and other federal grant programs.

Building an Ecosystem for AI Accountability At NTIA, our goal is to make sure important technologies – from broadband to spectrum to emerging innovations like AI – are developed in the service of people and progress. Today, there is no better example of that challenge than the conversation around machine learning and artificial intelligence. Responsible AI innovation can – and will – bring enormous benefits to people. It is going to transform every corner of our economy, from advances in medicine to precision agriculture. But we will only realize the promise of AI if we also address the serious risks it raises today. Those include concerns about safety, security, privacy, discrimination and bias. Risks from disinformation. Impact on the labor market. These are not hypothetical, long-term risks; these are risks that exist right now.

At NTIA, tech policy is what we do. Our focus is making sure important technologies – from broadband to spectrum to emerging innovations like AI – are developed in the service of people and progress.  

It is terrific to be back at CES. Not to date myself too much, but my first CES was something like 20 years ago. I do love walking the floor. And it is gratifying for NTIA to see how so much of our work – spectrum, broadband, AI policy – is reflected as an enabler of the innovations here.

Today, we will discuss the future of wireless innovation. I want to start by underscoring just how critical this technology is. 5G networks and successor technologies will create new opportunities for our economy, for education and for healthcare.

We are here today because of the growing power of technology in our daily lives.  Advances in AI and machine learning systems have captured the public’s imagination, and rightly so.

Since my last appearance before the Subcommittee in May, we have made considerable progress toward the bipartisan initiatives that Congress tasked to NTIA.

We’re here today because connecting everyone to the Internet is the first step to building an inclusive digital society.  Being able to engage in one’s own language is key to meaningful connectivity. Making the Internet multilingual will support meaningful connectivity and digital inclusion, and that is what we are here to explore today.

Thank you for inviting me to discuss this historic moment and the Biden Administration’s focus on digital equity. It is wonderful to be joined by so many of my federal colleagues who are champions of digital equity. I’m grateful to our hosts at the Aspen Institute Latinos & Society for bringing us all together.

Thank you, Andrea. It was an honor to be with you and Patrick at the White House this week to hear the President announce the allocations. It was even better to see Prysmian fiber on stage next to him and the Vice President. 

Thank you, Anne-Marie. I want to thank everyone at New America, Network: On, and Public Knowledge who organized today’s event – along with our diverse and expert group of panelists and contributors. It’s wonderful to be back at New America myself, and to be among so many of the people and organizations who’ve been contributing to the success of the Internet for All program. Today kicks off the Biden-Harris Administration’s Affordable Connectivity Program Week of Action.  We have more than 300 organizations from across the country committed to raising awareness about ACP.

Collectively, we have come a long way together since the early days of ICANN. In fact, this year marks the 25th anniversary of ICANN. As someone who was around for those early days, it’s amazing to think about how much the Internet has changed.

The Internet is now the essential tool for communications in our modern world. It is essential for access to work. Access to education. Access to healthcare. And yet today, here in America, millions of people across the country lack access to a high-speed Internet connection or lack the means and the skills to use it.

Welcome and thank you all for participating in today’s information session. I’d also like to thank Amanda Toman, the head of our Wireless Innovation Fund, and the rest of the team for their work on today’s event and this important initiative. We are thrilled to share details and answer questions about the launch of the first round of funding from our $1.5 billion Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund. As a starting point, we need to support American competitiveness at home and around the world. American leadership and innovation in technology has been critical to our economic and national security for decades. And our success in leading the world in wireless telecommunications is a key component of that.

Welcome, all. I am grateful for Congresswoman Matsui and Senator Luján’s presence here today as well as the U.S. and international industry, academia, and government agencies in attendance. I look forward to discussing 6G and how we can work with our partners to promote open, interoperable, secure, and reliable approaches to this technology. 

April 11, 2023 - Thank you, Beth. And thank you to the University of Pittsburgh for hosting this event and bringing us all together for this timely discussion on artificial intelligence. I also want to thank Ellen Goodman, who you will hear from today, as well as the other leaders of NTIA’s team for all their work on our AI initiative.