Notes from The Institute  – Projects to Advance AI and Digitalization Objectives

Blueprint 2025 and the Institute were established at the beginning of the previous Administration with a primary objective of promoting public policies to bring the U.S. back to the position of having the World’s best and most advanced infrastructure and open the way, in the U.S, for the infrastructure of the 21st century. As shown in our attached  Infrastructure Policy Recommendations for 2022, our focus has been on AI and Digitalization as critical drivers towards those objectives.

Efforts to date have been impactful. There have been significant advances in federal infrastructure policy, particularly during the current Administration, and the private sector is rapidly advancing AI and Digitalization as driving forces for the global economy.

However, there is still a considerable distance to go in integrating these critical technologies into Federal and indeed State Infrastructure Policy. Based on our founder’s premise that “Projects drive policy”, to address that problem, Blueprint and the Institute have developed the following agenda selected as priorities the following target projects, to drive innovations. These innovations in turn address major policy issues and thereby advance the primary objective.  

1. The “American Model” for transport corridor development.  Recognizing that (1) public funding sources will be inadequate to support adequate maintenance and updating of the nation’s transportation systems (2) that highways, as currently designed and conceived, do not maximize public benefits but, instead may adversely impact local economies and (3) that properly designed and conceived highways and rights of way can generate revenues and produce sustainable and supportive communities,  we are working with Senator Schuring and the  State of Ohio to design, finance and develop the Ohio Route 30 Opportunity Corridor.  This project will demonstrate the “American Model” approach for maximizing community benefits through planning driven by digitalized community input, transparency through auditable digital systems, and bringing in private funding through a public/private enterprise “run like a sustainable business”.  Effective utilization of digital twinning and AI technologies are critical elements of this project—which is well underway. https://www.sinfpi.org/ohio

2.  Digitalizing the Permitting Process - Since its beginning, Blueprint 2025 has strongly advocated reformation and expedition of the process for permitting and authorization of major infrastructure projects(particularly, the associated environmental review process).  That advocacy https://www.sinfpi.org has resulted in broad governmental recognition of the need for expedited permitting and some positive steps in that direction. However, the role of AI, through the creation of digital tins at the feasibility study phase, in radically accelerating progress toward this objective has yet to be fully recognized.  We will continue our efforts to mobilize the right team to design and advance a project to demonstrate this potential

3. Digital and AI Support for Global Assistance Programs – The Institute has been engaged in discussions with a team from the American of Society of Civil Engineers and the U.S. Council of Mayors regarding a project to incentivize private participation in global assistance programs by reducing risk and assuring adaptability and sustainability through development and implementation of global standards [link].  Digital and AI technologies can increase the functionality of the standards implementation process and, at least potentially, can enhance the utility of the project by adding capacity to assess and evaluate developing technologies and prioritize their application.  We are working to recruit a Digital/AI industry team to participate in this process.

4. Technology Support for Procurement and Aid Programs – The conventional procurement process, like the permitting process, produces substantial delays in the execution of important projects and, at least in international contexts, lacks transparency and allows corruption to drain funds which might otherwise be productive. The possibility of corruption also may deter participation by ethical companies and disadvantage their potential participation. Blockchain and digital systems particularly if advanced internationally, can assure transparency, expedite process and reduce corruption. We suggest recruitment of an industry team to develop a demonstration project.

5. Ukraine Military Assistance and Reconstruction – As a specific application of blockchain technology to reform military assistance and reconstruction programs the Institute is working with a team of military professionals who were involved with those efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, Ukrainian NGOs and Ukrainian military experts to explore the potential for digitalized systems to expedite processes and project management, provide transparency and limit corruption.  We believe this effort is responsive to increasing concerns in the Congress regarding the need to assure that financial aid is properly spent and equipment is properly deployed and accounted for.  The Institute will be reaching out for technology support for this effort.

6. Platform for Reduction of the Carbon Footprint and Development of Consensus Standards and Measurements – While there is increasing recognition that financial tools such as Carbon and Biodiversity Credits will be critically important factors in mobilizing and directing private sector investment in sustainable projects, it has been hard to achieve consensus on the metrics for quantifying credits and the methodology for continuing validation.   The Institute believes that digital and AI technologies can provide platforms for expert and policy dialog to achieve consensus on these critical issues. While this may be a far on the horizon possibility, it has transformational potential and is worth further consideration.  Similar platforms could be an integral element of the “American Model” and the ASCE/ Council of Mayors projects.

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 The Institute will be soliciting comments on these projects as well as suggestions for others and will supplement its Infrastructure Policy Recommendations based on that input.  Thank you for your continued support.

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