Capability domain

Critical Technology

Critical Technology encompasses advanced ICT, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, advanced materials, energy technologies, biotechnology, space and robotics, and position, navigation & timing systems that together drive innovation, underpin strategic industries, and shape national security and economic competitiveness.

This domain in the National Capability Atlas

Share of attention worldwide: 11.1%; Over the last 52 weeks, against 10.6% the 52 weeks before. An even share would be 12.0%.
Rank among the domains: 5 of 9; By share of attention worldwide over the last 52 weeks.
Trends: 30 of 250; See them all

Regional Attention

Where Critical Technology draws the most attention: its trends’ shares of all the attention there, added up, and its rank among the nine domains.

By region

Latin America & Caribbean

14.0%

13.2%

12.3%

10.7%

10.4%

9.1%

6.8%

5.8%

4.6%

Share of attention in each place, and its rank among the domains there: the 10 highest of 11.

By bloc

12.8%

12.3%

12.2%

12.1%

11.8%

11.7%

11.0%

9.9%

9.6%

Share of attention in each place, and its rank among the domains there: the 10 highest of 13.

By country

19.2%

16.9%

16.4%

16.1%

15.1%

14.3%

14.0%

13.4%

13.2%

Share of attention in each place, and its rank among the domains there: the 10 highest of 49.

Share of attention over time

The share of all the attention the 250 trends draw that goes to the trends in Critical Technology, week by week, worldwide and in each region. Its even share, 12.0%, is the share it would have if every trend drew the same attention.

Share of attention to Critical Technology

A four-week rolling average, worldwide and in each region, against its even share. Select a place below to bring its line forward.

Top trends

The trends in Critical Technology drawing the most attention, rising or falling most, or moving most, in the place and period chosen.

All Trends

AI agents: 5.5×; attention last 4 weeks; Index 552· −2% WoW· Stable
Frontier AI capability: 5.0×; attention last 4 weeks; Index 503· −3% WoW· Shifting
Biometric identification: 4.5×; attention last 4 weeks; Index 449· +1% WoW· Stable
Quantum computing: 4.2×; attention last 4 weeks; Index 424· +2% WoW· Turbulent
Fusion energy: 2.5×attention last 4 weeksIndex 252 · −3% WoW · Stable
Advanced materials: 2.3×attention last 4 weeksIndex 232 · −1% WoW · Stable
Automated AI research: 2.1×attention last 4 weeksIndex 208 · −7% WoW · Turbulent
Humanoid robots: 2.0×attention last 4 weeksIndex 200 · −4% WoW · Shifting
Orbital debris: 1.8×attention last 4 weeksIndex 184 · −1% WoW · Turbulent
Open-weight AI models: 1.8×attention last 4 weeksIndex 180 · +1% WoW · Shifting

The trends with the highest attention intensity for Critical Technology trends only over the last 4 weeks. 1× is the typical trend.

The themes the trends in Critical Technology fall into, with how many of its trends are in each.

Scenarios

The scenarios the trends in Critical Technology bear on most: those with the most of its trends graded High or above.

All 30 trends in Critical Technology

Rank	Trend	Thematic	Intensity	Index	Change, WoW	Volatility
1	AI agents Critical Technology	AI, compute & automation	5.5×	552	−2%	Stable±3%
2	Frontier AI capability Critical Technology	AI, compute & automation	5.0×	503	−3%	Shifting±4%
3	Biometric identification Critical Technology	Democracy, media & trust	4.5×	449	+1%	Stable±2%
4	Quantum computing Critical Technology	Cyber, space & critical networks	4.2×	424	+2%	Turbulent±7%
5	Fusion energy Critical Technology	Energy transition & power systems	2.5×	252	−3%	Stable±3%
6	Advanced materials Critical Technology	Energy transition & power systems	2.3×	232	−1%	Stable±2%
7	Automated AI research Critical Technology	AI, compute & automation	2.1×	208	−7%	Turbulent±10%
8	Humanoid robots Critical Technology	AI, compute & automation	2.0×	200	−4%	Shifting±4%
9	Orbital debris Critical Technology	Cyber, space & critical networks	1.8×	184	−1%	Turbulent±5%
10	Open-weight AI models Critical Technology	AI, compute & automation	1.8×	180	+1%	Shifting±4%
11	AI data centre build-out Critical Technology	AI, compute & automation	1.7×	169	+3%	Turbulent±5%
12	Frontier AI concentration Critical Technology	AI, compute & automation	1.7×	168	+1%	Shifting±3%
13	Lunar exploration race Critical Technology	Cyber, space & critical networks	1.6×	157	+7%	Turbulent±9%
14	AI chip supply Critical Technology	AI, compute & automation	1.6×	155	0%	Shifting±3%
15	Post-quantum cryptography Critical Technology	Cyber, space & critical networks	1.1×	109	−3%	Turbulent±6%
16	Small modular reactors Critical Technology	Energy transition & power systems	1.1×	107	+1%	Stable±3%
17	mRNA vaccine platforms Critical Technology	Health, biotech & humanitarian need	1.1×	105	−4%	Turbulent±8%
18	Gene & cell therapies Critical Technology	Health, biotech & humanitarian need	1.0×	104	−1%	Stable±3%
19	Earth observation Critical Technology	Climate, water & land	0.81×	81	0%	Stable±2%
20	Chipmaking tool chokepoints Critical Technology	Trade, supply chains & industrial policy	0.67×	67	−11%	Turbulent±6%
21	Cloud concentration risk Critical Technology	AI, compute & automation	0.64×	64	−1%	Turbulent±7%
22	Brain-computer interfaces Critical Technology	Democracy, media & trust	0.55×	55	−6%	Shifting±3%
23	Advanced semiconductors Critical Technology	Trade, supply chains & industrial policy	0.47×	47	−8%	Turbulent±5%
24	Precision medicine Critical Technology	Health, biotech & humanitarian need	0.44×	44	−1%	Stable±2%
25	Synthetic biology Critical Technology	Health, biotech & humanitarian need	0.41×	41	+3%	Stable±2%
26	Quantum sensing Critical Technology	Cyber, space & critical networks	0.38×	38	−6%	Turbulent±6%
27	AI inference efficiency Critical Technology	AI, compute & automation	0.35×	35	−8%	Shifting±4%
28	Digital sovereignty Critical Technology	AI, compute & automation	0.31×	31	−3%	Stable±3%
29	Commercial space launch Critical Technology	Cyber, space & critical networks	0.21×	21	−1%	Turbulent±6%
30	AI for science Critical Technology	AI, compute & automation	0.19×	19	−6%	Shifting±4%