In the aftermath of digital and transportational sabotage at the Olympic games, and the revelation that it was a Chinese ship which damaged the Balticconnector pipeline last year, Policy Exchange today urges the UK Government to develop a more integrated approach to developing and protecting the six critical technologies of the future.

The report, backed by Labour peer Lord Harris of Haringey – Chair of the National Preparedness Commission – calls for an integrated strategic approach to AI, Quantum, Engineering Biology, Advanced Telecommunications, Semiconductors, and Space-Based Capabilities. Together, these interconnected technologies will play a decisive role in geopolitical competition, will help to preserve our national security, and will prove integral to the Government’s economic growth ambitions.

The immense costs involved in developing these technologies mean that public spending alone is not enough to ensure that the UK emerges as a frontrunner. As this report argues, the Government needs new models for attracting private finance, a more competitive national regulatory framework, stricter export controls, and closer coordination with allies on capability development.