Balancing Optimism With Anxiety: How Think Tanks View Technology, Trade, and Geopolitics A survey among 32 think tank members of the Global Trade and Innovation Policy Alliance (GTIPA) across 25 countries finds strong optimism about technological progress, but much less confidence in the global policy environment. Respondents are bullish on emerging technologies and skeptical of recent trade changes, and broadly favor skills and trade openness. KEY TAKEAWAYS Key Takeaways Contents Introduction Technological change is accelerating as the political environment around it becomes more contested. Rapid technological developments and geopolitical shifts raise a practical question for policymakers: are innovation-policy experts fundamentally optimistic about the next decade, or do geopolitical fragmentation, regulatory pressures, and technological uncertainty increasingly dominate their outlook? This report surveys like-minded think tanks to examine how those expectations are evolving—and where they diverge across countries. Surveying global think tanks matters because they help shape policy priorities by informing governments, legislators, industry, and the broader thought leaders’ community. Their views can therefore reveal which technological and economic issues are rising in importance and which policy responses command the greatest support. Comparing perspectives across countries also helps identify where priorities converge or diverge, offering an early indication of where future cooperation may prove easier or more difficult. In this context, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) surveyed 32 think tanks in 25 countries that are part of the Global Trade and Innovation Policy Alliance (GTIPA). Because the survey draws on a nonrandom sample of like-minded organizations, some convergence in views is expected. Nevertheless, GTIPA members operate across diverse economic, institutional, and geopolitical contexts, allowing the survey to identify meaningful differences despite this inherent selection bias. Respondents assessed 10 propositions covering the following: ▪ Pace and impact of technological change ▪ The global trade system ▪ U.S.-China competition ▪ Geopolitics ▪