President Biden’s fiscal year (FY) 2023 proposed budget includes a proposed increase in Federal spending on research and development (R&D) to $86 billion, up from the estimated $79.7 billion from FY2022.
In the proposed spending, $7.8 billion would go to the Department of Energy Office of Science for artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum information science (QIS) computing insights of climate change. The funding represents the Biden-Harris Administration’s effort to establish the United States as a global leader in clean energy and emerging technology.
“The Budget provides a historic investment of $7.8 billion for the Office of Science to support cutting-edge research at the national laboratories and universities,” the budget noted.
The potential uses for these funds includes advancing the United States’ understanding of climate change; identifying and accelerating novel technologies for clean energy solutions; providing new computing insight through QIS and AI that would address scientific and environmental challenges; leveraging data, analytics, and computational infrastructure to strengthen pandemic preparedness in support of U.S. biodefense and pandemic preparedness strategies and plans; and support the Nation’s leading scientific user facilities.
Additionally, $880 million of the funding would go to the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) new Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships to expedite the development of emerging technologies like trustworthy AI, high-performance computing, QIS, robotics, communications, and cybersecurity.
“The Directorate will work with programs across the Agency and with other Federal and non-Federal entities to expedite technology development in emerging areas that are crucial for U.S. technological leadership,” the budget reads.
The budget will also provide NSF an additional $10 million to build and strengthen the national cybersecurity workforce pipeline through education, K-12 programs, and funding to universities and colleges.
In addition, President Biden proposes $187 million for the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop standards around AI, quantum, and biotechnology and to increase their adoption commercially. This includes $8 million for international standards development around emerging technologies.
