ANSI Membership Overview Webinar

Geopolitical Standards Race

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) stands at the forefront of U.S. efforts to maintain influence in international standardization. In early 2025, ANSI appointed Laurie E. Locascio as president and CEO, signaling a renewed focus on navigating complex global dynamics. This leadership change coincided with the development of the United States Standards Strategy (USSS) 2025, finalized and launched in January 2026. The strategy responds directly to rapid advancements in critical technologies and heightened competition, particularly from China, which seeks to shape standards in its favor through state-directed initiatives.

Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and biotechnology are battlegrounds where standards dictate market rules and innovation pathways. For instance, in AI, standards influence everything from data interoperability to ethical frameworks, affecting global supply chains. U.S. firms, representing over 270,000 companies through ANSI's network, risk exclusion from international markets if rival standards prevail. Recent updates to safety standards, like ANSI/ISEA Z87.62 for biological hazards and ANSI/ISEA 105-2024 for hand protection, illustrate how even niche changes can have broad industrial ripple effects, especially in labs and manufacturing amid ongoing health and tech disruptions.

The stakes are concrete: non-participation could lead to compliance costs exceeding millions per company, delayed product launches, and weakened national security. Deadlines intensify the urgency—the ANSI conference on U.S. leadership in global standardization, set for March 24-25, 2026, in Scottsdale, Arizona, aims to forge strategies against these threats. Geopolitical manipulation in bodies like ISO and IEC poses risks; for example, China's investments in 'new quality productive forces' aim to leapfrog U.S. capabilities, potentially eroding deterrence in the Pacific.

Non-obvious tensions include the U.S. push to export AI technologies to allies while restricting chips to China, as seen in 2025 policy shifts. This creates trade-offs: broader adoption strengthens U.S. standards but risks technology leakage. Surprising data from reports show China closing gaps in AI models despite U.S. leads in semiconductors, highlighting inefficiencies in Beijing's system yet underscoring the need for sustained U.S. investment. Consumer groups and academia, part of ANSI's diverse membership, add layers, advocating for inclusive standards that balance innovation with safety and equity.