USSC Briefing Room | America’s AI Action Plan unpacked

6 August 2025

Director of Strategic Technologies Olivia Shen joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck to discuss America's AI Action Plan and how US-China competition is heating up in the AI race.

Podcast by

Mari Koeck

Director of Engagement and ImpactUnited States Studies Centre

Olivia Shen

Director, Strategic TechnologiesUnited States Studies Centre

The White House has recently released America’s AI Action Plan: Winning the race and, in launching the plan, President Trump said, “America is the country that started the AI race. And as President of the United States, I’m here today to declare that America is going to win it.”

How much of the AI Action Plan is about competing with China? What is in the plan and what’s missing? What could or should Australia’s role be in the AI race?

Director of Strategic Technologies Olivia Shen joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck on the podcast to discuss these questions. Olivia previously led the Data Science and AI Strategy section for the Australian Department of Home Affairs and she was a Fulbright Scholar looking at the ethics of AI in national security.