In a wide-ranging phone interview on WFEA’s The Morning Update, host Jeff Chidester speaks with Carrie Sheffield, Director of the Center for AI and Technology at the Independent Women’s Forum, to explore national technological policy, federal innovation, and domestic infrastructure challenges.
Key Topics Covered
- Federal Innovation Initiatives: Sheffield breaks down her article, “Trump Keeps America Innovative Through Space Academy and Quantum Task Force,“ highlighting federal steps to preserve American competitiveness.
She discusses the creation of a specialized service academy pipeline for space alongside proactive timelines established by the Treasury’s Quantum-Readiness Task Force to protect financial networks against emerging computing threats.
- Data Center Infrastructure Backlash: Turning to domestic hurdles, Sheffield discusses her piece, “Leftists Claim to be Progressive, Yet They’re Blocking Progress and Innovation By Opposing Data Centers.“
She addresses local and state-level moratoriums on hyperscale data center construction, arguing that blocking essential computing infrastructure undermines progress while offering actionable frameworks—such as ratepayer protection and off-grid power investments—to balance community concerns with technological growth.
The interview provides a detailed look at how federal policy and local development shape America’s ability to maintain its technological edge.
