South Carolina has spent decades building one of the strongest manufacturing economies in America.
Companies like BMW, Boeing, Volvo, Michelin, and Scout Motors have invested billions of dollars in our
state. The Port of Charleston has become one of the nation’s most important gateways for global commerce. Advanced manufacturers continue to choose South Carolina because of our workforce, our
business climate, and our commitment to innovation.
That success did not happen by accident. It happened because South Carolina embraced the industries
that would shape the future.
Today, another economic transformation is underway, and America must once again decide whether it
will lead or follow.
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming one of the most important technologies of the 21st century. While
many people think of AI as something confined to Silicon Valley, its impact is already being felt across
industries that are critical to South Carolina’s economy. Manufacturers are using AI to improve
productivity. Ports and logistics companies are using it to move goods more efficiently. Aerospace firms
are accelerating design and production. The next generation of economic growth will be powered by AI-
driven innovation.
South Carolina’s own Senator Tim Scott understands the stakes.
As Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Senator Scott is helping lead congressional efforts to
ensure America remains the world’s leader in advanced technology while protecting our national security.
The policies Congress adopts today will have lasting consequences for American competitiveness and for
states like South Carolina that depend on innovation, manufacturing, and investment.
At the center of this competition are advanced semiconductor chips.
These chips power the most sophisticated artificial intelligence systems in the world. They are the
engines behind everything from advanced manufacturing and medical research to national defense and
cybersecurity. The country that controls the most advanced AI technology will enjoy enormous economic
and strategic advantages in the decades ahead.
Today, that country is the United States.
American companies design and manufacture the world’s most advanced AI chips and the tools used to
produce them. This leadership has fueled investment, job creation, and technological breakthroughs
across our economy. It has also helped ensure that America’s military and intelligence capabilities remain
second to none.
But that advantage is under increasing pressure.
China has made clear that it intends to surpass the United States in artificial intelligence and advanced
computing. The Chinese government is investing heavily in AI for both commercial and military purposes.
If America allows its most advanced technologies to strengthen strategic competitors, we risk
undermining the very advantages that support our economy and safeguard our national security.
That is why Congress must act.
Current export controls help prevent America’s most advanced AI chips and semiconductor
manufacturing equipment from being transferred to China. These safeguards are working, but they
remain subject to change from one administration to the next. Businesses making long-term investments
need certainty. National security demands consistency.
The SAFE Chips Act would provide that certainty by codifying existing export controls into law, ensuring
that America’s most advanced AI technologies do not end up strengthening our adversaries.

The AI Overwatch Act would complement those protections by creating a framework to evaluate
emerging AI capabilities and identify potential national security risks before they become serious threats.
Together, these bills would establish a durable strategy for protecting America’s technological edge while
allowing innovation to continue thriving.
That matters for South Carolina.
The same state that helped lead America’s manufacturing resurgence should benefit from the next wave
of technological investment. As companies continue expanding operations in advanced manufacturing,
logistics, aerospace, and energy, access to cutting-edge AI technologies will become increasingly
important to maintaining our competitive advantage.
The next industrial revolution is already underway. The question is whether America will continue to lead
it.
For South Carolina, the answer should be clear. We should support policies that encourage innovation,
protect American technology, strengthen our national security, and create the conditions for future
investment and job creation.
America earned its leadership in artificial intelligence through innovation, entrepreneurship, and a
willingness to think ahead. With leadership from policymakers like Senator Tim Scott and commonsense
measures such as the SAFE Chips Act and the AI Overwatch Act, we can ensure that leadership remains
firmly in American hands for generations to come.

D. Nelson Taylor
Gilbert, SC

D. Nelson Taylor was born and raised in Lexington County. He served in the US Navy from 1959 to 1963
and is a graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary. He is currently retired and lives in Gilbert, SC.