Technology, Cyber and Innovation
Technology, Cyber and Innovation
It is said that ninety percent of what we will know in the next fifty years has yet to be discovered. That means virtually anything and everything we know today will change. US and Australian government policies to identify and adopt new technology to meet domestic and international challenges comes at a critical time. Prime Minister Turnbull’s actions since taking office supports innovation and agility in government decision-making. It comes in parallel with USG actions and activities designed to make government more responsive to meet the growing demands associated with fast-paced global events. While some of the bilateral activities are captured in the yearly formal bilateral AUSMIN Communique there are critical technologies that both countries require in order to align their government interaction and strengthen their economic, military, and intelligence relationships.
Four key technologies will drive the requirements in both countries – Big Data, Cloud Computing, Enterprise Mobility, and Visualization. In order for the two governments to understand how technology can be mobilized they only need to look at the private sector and the development and commercialization of technologies already in the workplace. And governments must have the ability to informally pulse the private sector and learn what they don’t know. Of the next-generation technologies that make both countries vulnerable is the threat posed by cyber intrusions – whether state or non-state actor directed. The threat of cyber to our respective homeland security is as great as economic espionage that is constantly occurring. Sharing information and technology between and among the private sector and with the US and Australian governments is key to ameliorating cyber threats.
The American Australian Council is an important vehicle where information and introductions can be made to companies, unofficially, and between our respective governments. It is a place where both countries can be exposed to startups – whether in Silicon Valley, throughout the Australian university system, or global System Integrators, that are developing next-generation technology and that can be adapted and made available to both governments.
And agility is key. Both governments are identifying new ways to modify existing procurement systems to allow for expeditious adoption of technology that can be mutually beneficial. The remarkable changes occurring require a linkage between the private sector and both governments; the AAC will serve as an important catalyst for innovation by linking the government requirements and ground-breaking technological advances.