Washington, D.C. The Office of Critical and Emerging Technology was established by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today to guarantee that investments made in the country in fields like semiconductors, biotechnology, artificial intelligence (AI), and quantum computing take advantage of the Department's extensive resources and knowledge base to advance these vital fields. Applications for critical and emerging technologies (CET) are widespread at DOE and include pandemic preparedness, national defense, and sustainable energy. The economy and national security can benefit greatly from major improvements in CET, but there are also considerable risks involved. With this in mind, DOE's new office will concentrate the Department's efforts on making sure that its capabilities are contributing to the resolution of important science, energy, and security concerns.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm stated, "Since their founding, DOE's National Laboratories have been central to the nation's scientific and technological advancement, and we are preparing to ensure that, as new technologies emerge, the United States leads the way in exploring those frontiers." "In the sake of American security and competitiveness, our new Office of Critical and Emerging Technology will use DOE's world-class scientists and technical capabilities.”
The new office's director is Helena Fu, a former National Security Council director for technology and national security and senior advisor to the undersecretary for science and innovation. In addition, Fu will hold the position of Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer for DOE, a role outlined in President Biden's October executive order on AI. This position would oversee the Department's use of AI, manage associated risks, and foster innovation.
The Department of Energy would "support the goal of strengthening our Nation's resilience against climate change impacts and building an equitable clean energy economy for the future," according to President Biden's executive order, which also assigned DOE the duty of establishing the new agency.
The Under Secretary for Science and Innovation will oversee the Office of Critical and Emerging Technologies, which will concentrate departmentwide efforts including those of the Department's 17 National Laboratories and various university research and development initiatives. To help ensure that the Federal Government, in collaboration with business and academia, remains at the forefront of research, development, and deployment of critical innovations impacting U.S. competitiveness and security, the office will act as a single point of contact on CET within the Department.
Leading the world in science, technology, and innovation is essential to the economic, national security, and social advantages that Americans enjoy—from access to reasonably priced and dependable electricity to well-paying jobs. Leading the way in important and developing technologies gives the US a competitive edge.
The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), the National Nuclear Security Administration, the Offices of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response, Electricity, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, Nuclear Energy, Science, Intelligence and Counterintelligence, and International Affairs are just a few of the program offices and national laboratories that house DOE's top-notch expertise and capabilities in critical and emerging technology areas.
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