Artificial Intelligence
Fueling America’s Innovation Economy Through Artificial Intelligence: Artificial intelligence is a foundational technology that will shape the future of the U.S. economy. From healthcare and financial services to manufacturing, defense, energy, and scientific discovery, AI is transforming industries and creating new opportunities for growth, productivity, and global competitiveness.
Venture-backed startups are leading the development of breakthrough AI technologies and applications. These companies are building the models, infrastructure, tools, and platforms that will define the next generation of innovation.
To maintain U.S. leadership in AI, policymakers must create an environment that encourages responsible innovation, supports investment, and enables startups to compete and scale.
Startup Spotlight: Carbon Robotics is pioneering agricultural technology by utilizing AI-powered laser weeding and autonomous tractor equipment to eliminate weeds without damaging crops. The company shows how VC-backed innovation can revolutionize traditional industries, addressing chronic labor shortages, reducing chemical usage, and strengthening global food security.
By the Numbers: 64.5% – AI captured nearly two thirds of all U.S. venture investment value in 2025
Policy Priorities:
Establishing a National AI Policy and Regulatory Certainty: The United States needs a clear, national framework for AI governance that addresses real risks without creating unnecessary barriers to innovation. A fragmented patchwork of state-level regulations could make it more difficult for startups to compete, raise capital, and scale.
NVCA backs establishing a national AI strategy that:
- Addresses frontier model safety
- Encourages regulatory sandboxes for emerging technologies
- Protect consumers from bad actors
- Provides targeted federal preemption where appropriate to ensure consistent rules for innovators across the country
AI Infrastructure and Research Leadership: America’s leadership in AI depends on access to world-class research infrastructure, computing resources, and high-quality data. Continued investment in foundational AI capabilities is critical to maintaining technological leadership and enabling breakthrough innovation.
NVCA supports robust federal investment in AI research infrastructure and standards-setting, including the National AI Research Resource (NAIRR), expanded access to government datasets, and public-private partnerships that accelerate AI research and commercialization.
Building an AI-Ready Workforce: The long-term success of the AI economy depends on developing the talent needed to build, deploy, and manage these technologies. Ensuring workers have access to AI education and skills training will help maximize economic opportunity and strengthen U.S. competitiveness.
NVCA supports policies that expand AI education, workforce development, and skills training programs while helping entrepreneurs and startups access the talent necessary to build and scale innovative companies.
Securing a Robust & Predictable AI Energy Supply: Abundant, reliable, and affordable energy is essential to powering AI innovation across the American economy. As AI models and applications become more compute-intensive, startups will increasingly depend on an energy policy framework that can support rapid deployment of data centers, transmission, and new generation capacity without unnecessary delay.
NVCA supports:
- Streamlining and standardizing federal permitting rules
- Modernizing NEPA review
- Expanding grid capacity and reliability
- Accelerating deployment of a diverse set of energy technologies while maintaining important environmental safeguards
Meet The Policy Expert
Diem-Mi Lu
VP of Government Affairs