Axios

WASHINGTON — China is ahead of the U.S. on biomanufacturing, presenting a national security challenge for policymakers, Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) said at an Axios event.

Why it matters: America's biopharma industry and patients depend on a major U.S. rival for essential drugs and critical supply chains, compounding pressure on the Food and Drug Administration to modernize its regulatory process.

Axios' Stef Kight and Caitlin Owens spoke with Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-Md.), Healthcare Leadership Council president and CEO Maria Ghazal and Young. The Sept. 23 event was sponsored by Genentech.

What they're saying: Young said that the same biotech advancements that contribute to American drug development could also "lead to threats to our own warfighters and the American people."

• "In order to get to those innovative technologies and ensure we're safe from any intrusion from biotech threats that might come from China or others, we need to get better at biomanufacturing… and we are behind," Young said.
• McClain Delaney said China is devoting significantly more government resources to biotech and called on the U.S. government and private sector to work together to ensure "we lead the standard-setting in the biotech arena."

Yes, but: Ghazal said cutting off collaboration with Chinese companies could limit drug and treatment innovations that benefit U.S. patients.

• "If we restrict ourselves too much, China will really … have the upper hand," Ghazal said.

What's next: Young suggested the Trump administration expand its proposed AI hotline with China to include "things that can create existential risks for the American people," including biological threats.

Content from the sponsor's segment:

During a View From the Top conversation, Genentech CEO Ashley Magargee said the biotech company's use of AI can condense some early-stage research from years to months, with the goal of getting care to patients faster.

• "We're going to be able to diagnose patients earlier and earlier, before even they have symptoms that emerge," she said.

Go deeper: Watch the full event.

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday warned about machines "invading and conditioning our daily lives" in a speech to French leaders as he began his visit to the country.

Why it matters: The pope is asserting himself as a leading voice of restraint in the development and proliferation of AI.

NEW YORK — Access to water depends on reliable infrastructure, sufficient investment, and strategic conservation, leaders said at an Axios House roundtable at Climate Week and the UN General Assembly.

Why it matters: Water has joined energy as a flashpoint in the AI era, and businesses increasingly see it as a factor in whether or not they can grow.

Axios' Ben Geman and Amy Harder moderated the Sept. 23 roundtable discussion. The event was sponsored by Schneider Electric.

5 big takeaways from the conversation:

1. Water is a "fundamental economic input," said Aleem Remtula, WaterEquity managing director of private equity and infrastructure. "A drought in Kenya for a farmer is not an environmental issue; it's an income generation issue. It's a food security issue."
2. AI can be an "enabler" for smarter water use, said Brandon Oyer, Amazon Web Services head of energy and water for the Americas. "I see it as an opportunity from an infrastructure perspective, on top of the software that can be enabled."
3. Water risk is intensely local, making community-specific investment and messaging critical, according to Mission North head of energy and infrastructure practice Julia Kelson and Salesforce senior vice president of impact Sunya Norman.
4. Aging water systems face a large investment gap, said U.S. Water Alliance CEO Mami Hara. "The federal government provides around 7% of the need for water infrastructure funding," she said, and "we are not seeing the kind of support for water that is needed."
5. Businesses tend to recognize water's financial influence only after disruption hits, Pacific Institute president and CEO Jason Morrison said. When it becomes a "supply chain disruption or operational disruption … then it becomes understood at a board level as being strategic and important."

Content from the sponsor's remarks:

In opening remarks, Andre Marino, Schneider Electric North America SVP of Industrial and Process Automation, said there's more to water than just the AI debate.

• "We have onshoring manufacturing coming, we have population growing, coupled with the climate challenge that we are facing … [and] although we have all these challenges, we have the technology to support us."

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