Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF)

Activities

The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) is a think tank based in Washington D.C that advocates on policy issues of technology and innovation. On its website, ITIF claims to have three goals in its activities: to set the policy agenda through research reports, blogs, and op-eds; to shape public debate through events, conferences, speeches, testimony, and interviews with the media; and to advise policymakers internationally. ¹

ITIF lists several “first principles” that it claims shape its perspective on technology. These include assertions that technology policy is meant to boost income, “disruptive innovation” leads to social progress, and the group seeks “selectively deepening global integration.” ¹

ITIF has five policy centers within its think tank: the Center for Data Innovation, the Center for Clean Energy Innovation, the Schumpeter Project on Competition Policy, the Center for Life Sciences Innovation, and the Hamilton Center on Industrial Strategy. ¹

ITIF claims credit for the creation of the Office of Clean Energy Demonstration in the U.S. Department of Energy under the Biden administration, an executive order to end degree requirements for federal jobs in the Trump administration, and the signing of the Consumer Review Fairness Act under the Obama administration. ¹

As of September 2024, ITIF planned a panel event titled “The Conservative Weaponization of Government Against Tech” set for October 2024. Past events include a panel on “Harnessing AI for Carbon Neutrality,” a panel on a Department of Justice antitrust case against Apple, and a discussion on a “realist climate policy.” ^{4 5}

History

The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) was founded in 2016 as a think tank and research institution. From 2017 to 2019, ITIF was named the “top science and technology policy center of excellence” by the University of Pennsylvania Think Tank and Civil Societies program. In 2020 it was named by the University of Pennsylvania Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program as one of the top think tanks of the United States. ^{1 6}

People

The founder and president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) is Robert D. Atkisson. Atkisson is the author of several novels including Big is Beautiful: Debunking the Mythology of Small Business and Supply Side Follies: Why Conservative Economics Fails Liberal Economics Falters, and Innovation Economics is the Answer. Atkinson was appointed to the Commission on Workers, Communities and Economic Change in the New Economy during the Clinton administration, appointed the chair of the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission by the George W. Bush administration, appointed to the National Innovation and Competitiveness Strategy Advisory Board during the Obama administration, appointed to the G7 Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence under the Trump administration, and appointed to the U.S. State Department Advisory Committee on International Communications and Information during the Biden administration. Previously, Atkinson worked as the president of the Progressive Policy Institute. ^{1 3}

The honorary co-chairs of the board of ITIF include members of the United States Senate and Congress such as Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), Rep. Suzan Delbene (D-WA), Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), and Senator Todd Young (R-IN). ⁷

Financials

According to tax filings, in 2022 Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) reported $7,572,049 in revenue, $7,492,668 in expenses, and $11,637,943 in assets. Of its reported revenue, $7,276,878 came from gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees. ⁸

ITIF reports it is funded by corporations, charitable foundations, and individual contributors. Supporters that have given over $10,000 within a year include Adobe, Google parent company Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, AT&T, Boeing, Comcast, Disney, Charles Koch Institute, Facebook parent company Meta, Microsoft, Pfizer, Schmidt Futures, T-Mobile, Uber, Verizon, and Walmart. ^{1 2}