US envoy: Government ‘not the answer’ for tech advances
Ambassador Dan Shapiro urges US, Israel to continue scientific cooperation, praises efforts in cyber security
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US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro urged government to take a backseat to the private sector in technological development, in a speech at the 10th Anniversary Conference of Israel’s Reut Institute last Thursday.
“Government is not the answer,” said the ambassador. “If the US and Israel sit back, throw up the walls and try to push through government or military programs, intensive projects to develop the next great technology, we shouldn’t be surprised when we wake up one morning to find that we have fallen behind in a race led by a hundred innovator/entrepreneurs living in a dozen different countries who pushed their ideas out onto the internet.”
Shapiro continued to stress that citizens in the private sector, not the government, were the future of scientific development, adding that the government’s role should be one that encourages further collaboration between scientists and investors from both countries.
He insisted that the two countries should continue to support freedom and openness between their scientific communities and praised the recent decision to expand their cooperation on cyber security.
“Threats to the integrity of the cyber world…are threats to the success of our economies and innovation.”
The ambassador concluded by outlining his vision for the future, envisioning people from all over the world “participating in the exchange and development of new ideas and technology.”
“The world will see scientific and technological advancement like never before in history. Israel and the United States can play leading roles in helping drive us toward the realization of this potential.”
The Times of Israel Community.