SCSP Launches National Security Commission to Drive U.S. Leadership in Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing

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The Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) announced the formation of the National Security Commission on Robotics for Advanced Manufacturing. This initiative, co-chaired by SCSP President Ylli Bajraktari, Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) and Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), is designed to restore American industrial preeminence by mastering the convergence of physical AI and automation, ensuring that U.S. manufacturing capacity becomes a durable national security asset against our adversaries.

"We are at a hinge point in history where 'Physical AI' – powered by robotics – will determine the next era of geopolitical and economic power," said Bajraktari. "The Commission is not just about making things more efficiently; it is about ensuring the United States commands the robotics-enabled industrial base required to defend our interests. We are bringing together the best minds to ensure America wins the race for the future of production."

As the global landscape shifts toward autonomous production, the Commission will serve as the primary architect for a national strategy to scale next-generation robotics. By unifying public and private efforts, the Commission aims to bridge the gap between laboratory innovation and shop-floor execution.

"If the U.S. fails to deploy next-generation technologies, we risk our national and economic security falling behind. Improving America's physical AI can help power a new manufacturing renaissance, and the deployment of robotics will create smarter systems and scalable solutions. Enhancing technology for workers will unlock new careers, reduce our reliance on adversaries, and ensure the advanced manufacturing capabilities that will define the future are built in America," said Sen. Budd.

"To win the future you need a plan. And with advanced manufacturing and AI rapidly evolving, it's critical to have organizations like The Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) working to stay ahead so we don't fall behind to adversaries like China," said Sen. Slotkin. "This commission will work across government, academia and industry to strengthen our national security, protect workers, and boost advanced and robotics manufacturing in Michigan and across the nation."

The Commission will focus its efforts on four critical pillars:

• Creating a National Framework: Developing a unified strategy to synchronize public-private investment and scale autonomous systems.
• Securing the Talent Pipeline: Rapidly upskilling the American workforce and expanding the domestic pipeline of specialized technicians and robotics engineers.
• Setting Strategic Targets: Establishing clear, measurable benchmarks for robotic integration to modernize supply chains and increase global competitiveness.
• Empowering the Ecosystem: Driving the policies and capital flows necessary to secure U.S. leadership in robotics hardware, software, and the underlying supply chain.

The co-chairs are joined by a distinguished group of commissioners representing the vanguard of technology, industry, and academia:

• Peter Barrett, Founder & General Partner, Playground Global
• Heather Carroll, Chief Revenue Officer, Path Robotics
• Michael Cicco, President & CEO, FANUC America
• Dr. Ayanna Howard, Dean, The Ohio State University College of Engineering
• Dr. Torsten Kroeger, Chief Science Officer, Intrinsic
• Rev Lebaredian, Vice President of Omniverse and Simulation Technology, NVIDIA
• Anne Neuberger, Senior Advisor, a16z, Distinguished Fellow, Stanford, Former Deputy National Security Advisor
• Dr. Chinedum Okwudire, Professor, University of Michigan
• Dr. Elisabeth Reynolds, Principal Research Scientist & Executive Director, MIT Industrial Performance Center
• Brendan Schulman, Vice President of Policy & Government Relations, Boston Dynamics
• Keith Strier, Senior Vice President, Global AI Markets, AMD
• Josh Tavel, Senior Vice President of R&D, Manufacturing and Product Engineering, General Motors
• Chris Walti, Founder & CEO, Mytra
• Dr. David Van Wie, Director, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

The year-long Commission's recommendations will be published in its final report in March 2027.

The Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) is a non-profit, non-partisan initiative with a mission to make recommendations to strengthen America's long-term competitiveness as artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies are reshaping our national security, economy, and society.