Remarks by Director Kratsios at the APEC Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting

The United States is positioning itself as the premier partner for artificial intelligence development in the Asia-Pacific region, with Director Michael Kratsios of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy urging APEC economies to adopt American technology and avoid what he termed the “European model of fear and overregulation.” Kratsios made the remarks at the inaugural APEC Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting in Incheon.

Speaking to a global forum on the sidelines of the meeting, Kratsios emphasized that the U.S. is ready to “accelerate American AI exports” through a complete “AI stack” that includes hardware, cloud services, data pipelines, and security systems. The U.S. government, he noted, is prepared to use federal financing tools like loans and guarantees to support these export packages for “allies and partners.”

Kratsios, a key architect of the recently unveiled “President’s AI Action Plan,” framed the global AI landscape as a modern-day “Space Race,” a “test of our capacities unlike anything since the dawn of the Space Age.” He argued that American companies and ideas still lead the way in AI innovation and that the U.S. model, which prioritizes innovation and freedom, is the most attractive path forward.

In a clear message to APEC members, Kratsios presented a choice: partner with the U.S. or risk being left behind. He cautioned against following the European model, which he claimed could lead to “stasis.” Instead, he advocated for a path of “human judgment and friendly cooperation, in political freedom and civic responsibility,” which he believes will usher in a new “Golden Age.”

The APEC Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting, hosted by Korea, brought together ministers from 21 member economies to discuss a common vision for digital and AI cooperation. The meeting resulted in a joint ministerial statement that aims to serve as a guideline for future collaboration in the region.