Invested by Aleph

Jacob Helberg on the China Doomsday Scenario, the Dangers of Wokeism, and What America Needs to Win the Technological Arms Race

Jun 17, 2024

Jacob Helberg, Commissioner of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, talks about the dangers of China-led world order, technological arms race, strategic partnerships for national security, challenges with TikTok divestment bill, and staying optimistic amidst dark circumstances

01:23:31

Episode guests

Jacob Helberg

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

China's control could limit US borrowing, impose censorship worldwide, and coerce compliance through global shipping dominance.

To win tech arms race against China, US must build capabilities, deter IP theft, and promote founder-driven innovation.

US industrial base reboot needed for national security, proposing tariffs, cyber sanctions, and strategic partnerships with allies.

Deep dives

Impact of China Winning

If China were to control the world, America's borrowing ability would be limited, significantly affecting day-to-day life. Censorship and privacy rules similar to China's could dominate global expression, leading to potential kidnappings or severe consequences for dissent. Additionally, China's dominance in global shipping routes could coerce compliance through goods control. The tributary system concept could establish a hierarchical world order with China at the top, impacting global sovereignty.

Intro

4min

The Speaker's Reflections on America, International Politics, and the Impact of Holocaust Survivors

19min

Technological Arms Race: US-China Competition and National Security

27min

Strategic Partnerships and National Security

21min

Discussion on the TikTok divestment bill and challenges in its implementation

5min

Exploring Family History and National Security Awareness

2min

Exploring Woke Culture, Authenticity vs AI in Speechwriting, Missed Podcast Question, Political Affiliation Shift

2min

Discussing China's Doomsday Scenario and Sources of Optimism

3min

On this episode of Invested, Michael hosts Jacob Helberg, Commissioner of the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

Jacob also serves as a Senior Policy Advisor to the CEO of Palantir Technologies, where he leads efforts to explore national security trends, changes in the global security landscape and emerging tech policy issues. Jacob is the founder of the Hill & Valley Forum, an alliance he built between Silicon Valley and Capitol Hill to help accelerate the adoption of defense technology to out-innovate China. He is a leading voice in the discussion around how U.S. adversaries continue to use social media platforms to influence American voters during election cycles.

Jacob is the author of The Wires of War: Technology and the Global Struggle for Power (Simon & Schuster, October 2021), which received bipartisan accolades by President Clinton and the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCaul. Heis also an Adjunct Senior Fellow for the Technology and National Security Program at CNAS, a Senior Advisor at the Stanford University Center on Geopolitics and Technology, and a member of the Manufacturing Leadership Council at the National Association of Manufacturers. From 2016 to 2020, Jacob was Google’s global lead for the company's internal global product policy efforts to combat foreign interference. Prior to joining Google, he was a member of the founding team of GeoQuant, a geopolitical risk forecasting technology company acquired by Fitch Ratings. Jacob received his M.S. in cybersecurity risk and strategy from New York University.

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