The White House has released a new science policy blueprint that aims to reshape the U.S. research system for the AI era, marking the first major overhaul since Vannevar Bush's landmark 1945 report, Science: The Endless Frontier.
A New Golden Age, the report was submitted to President Donald Trump on July 21 by Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). It argues that the post-World War II model of scientific research no longer reflects how innovation happens today.
The report challenges the traditional idea that scientific progress moves in a straight line - from basic research to applied science and then commercial products.
Instead, it describes modern research as a continuous cycle in which discoveries, technology and industry constantly influence one another. It argues that institutions built decades ago have become slower and less effective in supporting that process.
A major focus of the report is reducing administrative burdens on researchers.
It says scientists spend too much time preparing grant applications and complying with paperwork, while funding decisions often take months. The report also argues that traditional peer review tends to favor safer, incremental research over high-risk, high-reward ideas.
To address these issues, it recommends:
The report argues that more of the federal government's roughly $200 billion annual research and development budget should support scientific breakthroughs rather than administrative processes.
The report places artificial intelligence at the heart of its strategy through a proposed initiative called the Genesis Mission.
The program would connect AI models, supercomputers, automated laboratories, scientific instruments, and national research datasets into a unified system.
Under the proposal, AI would generate research hypotheses, automated labs would test them, and the results would continuously improve the underlying models.
The report also emphasizes the need for stronger verification systems, noting that while AI can generate scientific ideas rapidly, validating those ideas remains time-consuming.
It also supports greater use of autonomous or "self-driving" laboratories to speed up scientific discovery.
Although China is mentioned only sparingly, international competition is a recurring theme throughout the report.
It argues that scientific leadership alone is no longer enough. The United States must also manufacture, commercialize, and scale new technologies domestically.
To achieve that goal, the report recommends:
Rather than focusing primarily on restricting competitors, the report emphasizes improving America's own research ecosystem.
Many of the report's recommendations would require congressional approval or significant changes within federal agencies, making implementation uncertain.
Even so, the blueprint signals a major shift in U.S. science policy. It proposes replacing an 81-year-old framework with one centered on AI, faster research funding, stronger industry partnerships and greater flexibility for individual scientists.
If implemented, the report could reshape how the United States funds research and competes in the global race for scientific and technological leadership.
