ANSI Membership Overview Webinar

The United States Standards Strategy 2025, launched in January 2026, underscores a pivotal shift in America's approach to global standardization. This update arrives amid intensifying geopolitical competition, where control over technical standards increasingly determines economic dominance and national security. Countries like China have ramped up efforts to shape international norms, prompting the U.S. to reinforce its private-sector-led system to maintain leadership in critical technologies.

What changed recently is the formal release of this strategy on January 7, 2026, the first revision in five years. Developed with input from over 1,000 stakeholders, it addresses unprecedented technological evolution in areas like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and quantum computing. The strategy replaces the 2020 version, emphasizing defense against geopolitical manipulation in bodies such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

This matters because standards dictate market access, innovation speed, and supply chain resilience. For instance, harmonized standards enable U.S. firms to export products without costly redesigns, while divergent ones can erect trade barriers. In 2025, ANSI reported that standards contribute to 2.5% of U.S. GDP growth, highlighting their economic leverage.

Real-world impact touches nearly every sector. Technology companies risk losing ground if U.S. positions weaken in global forums; manufacturers face higher compliance costs from fragmented rules; and government agencies, like the Department of Defense, rely on standards for secure procurement. Over 270,000 companies and 30 million professionals represented by ANSI stand to benefit from stronger U.S. influence, ensuring fair competition and safer products.

Under new CEO Laurie Locascio, who assumed the role in January 2025, ANSI is convening a major conference on March 24-25, 2026, in Scottsdale, Arizona. This event will tackle strategies for U.S. leadership, reflecting the strategy's call for broader private-sector engagement to counter state-driven models from abroad.