Emerging Technologies Program

A significant part of technological competition in the twenty-first century is no longer centered solely on established technologies, but on emerging fields that are still evolving, maturing, and shaping the trajectory of the future. Emerging technologies represent domains with the potential to transform economic, security, and social structures while creating new sources of advantage for leading actors.

The Emerging Technologies Program focuses on identifying, analyzing, and assessing technologies that are in early stages of development but possess the potential to generate fundamental changes in the global technological order. These areas include quantum computing, advanced biotechnology, next-generation robotics, advanced materials, human-machine interfaces, and other fields capable of expanding the boundaries of technological capability.

The strategic importance of emerging technologies lies in the fact that today’s decisions, investments, and research priorities shape the capabilities and power structures of tomorrow. Countries that establish strong positions in transformative technologies at early stages can gain not only economic advantages but also influence over future standards, governance frameworks, and technological trajectories.

This program examines the development pathways of emerging technologies, barriers to commercialization, strategic opportunities, security implications, and governance challenges. It also analyzes the gap between scientific innovation and strategic application—a gap that often determines whether countries can successfully transform technological knowledge into national capabilities.

A key dimension of this program is the assessment of uncertainty surrounding emerging technologies. Unlike mature technologies, these fields often follow unpredictable development paths, making foresight, continuous monitoring, and scenario analysis essential components of effective technology policymaking.

From CTST’s perspective, emerging technologies are not merely subjects of future studies; they are arenas where new forms of power are being created and where the economic, security, and geopolitical architecture of the coming decades will increasingly be shaped.