Over the last few years, policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic have fundamentally reconsidered the implications of global interdependence, notably regarding advanced technology ecosystems. In the US, a central concern has been to sustain and expand leadership on technologies deemed critical to national security and prosperity. European discussions have focused more strongly on the continent’s own external dependencies, with an emphasis on “de-risking” relations with China.

Currently, this picture is seeing important further shifts, as the substance of the Trump administration’s “America First” approach in terms of international tech policy and the implications of reconfigurations in the relations between state and tech sector in the US are becoming clearer. This talk discusses the resulting strategic choices from a European (and especially German) vantage point as well as the progress and prospects of relevant policy initiatives.

Jakob Hensing is currently a DAAD research fellow at the American-German Institute in Washington, D.C. His permanent position is at the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi) in Berlin, where he leads the work on economic statecraft and emerging technologies. Previously, he worked for more than five years as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company and at Orphoz Public, McKinsey’s public sector branch in Germany. In addition to his role at GPPi, he has taught on economic statecraft and security at Freie Universität Berlin.

Jakob holds a doctorate in politics and a master’s in international relations from the University of Oxford, as well as a bachelor’s degree in integrated social sciences from Jacobs University Bremen. His most recent GPPi study titled Action Potentials: Neurotechnology, Brain-Computer Interfaces, and Implications for Germany’s and Europe’s Foreign and Security Policy, appeared in August 2025 (co-authored with Peter Schlecht). Other recent long-form publications include ‘As Large of a Lead as Possible’? Taking Stock of the Biden Administration’s Agenda on Critical and Emerging Technologies (with Florian Klumpp) and Gaming the Political Economy of Conflict: A Practical Guide (with Gelila Enbaye and Philipp Rotmann). His writing and commentary have featured in Foreign Policy, Wirtschaftswoche, and Newsweek, among others.

If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) or information about campus mobility access features in order to fully participate in this event, please contact ies@berkeley.edu with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days before the event.

Jakob Hensing, DAAD research fellow, American-German Institute, in conversation with BRSL’s Andrew Reddie.