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As artificial intelligence reshapes every industry, America stands at a crossroads. We can either double down on our greatest competitive advantage, attracting the world’s brightest minds, or watch our AI leadership slowly migrate to countries that have figured out what we haven’t: immigration policy is technology policy. After over a decade leading AI initiatives at Microsoft, democratizing natural language processing that serves millions globally, I’ve seen both the promise and the peril of our current moment. The engineers and researchers building tomorrow’s breakthroughs are increasingly weighing their options. The question isn’t whether they want to build in America, it’s whether America wants to make it possible. The Talent Pipeline America Built Let’s start with what we’re doing right. The U.S. has created an unmatched ecosystem with 59% of the world’s top-tier AI researchers. We’ve built the universities, the venture capital networks, and the innovation culture that attracts global genius. Companies like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI didn’t emerge by accident, they’re the product of decades of smart talent attraction. The data shows our success: nearly half of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children, generating $8.1 trillion in revenue and employing over 14.8 million people. In AI specifically, only 20% of top researchers earned their undergraduate degrees in the U.S., but 59% choose to do their breakthrough work here. We’re not starting from zero, we’re optimizing a proven winning formula. When we get immigration right, the returns are extraordinary. H-1B workers earn a median wage of $108,000 compared to $45,760 for U.S. workers generally, contributing significantly to tax revenue and consumer spending. Research shows that when immigrant college graduates increase by 1%, patents per capita increase by 918%. Each talented engineer who builds here creates jobs for American workers through the companies they found and the teams they build. When Timing Costs Talent The challenge isn’t our destination, it’s our process. Processing times for employment-based Form I-129 petitions, the petitions U.S. employers must file to request permission for a foreign national to work temporarily under visas like the H1B or O1, have climbed sharply. They rose more than 25% last quarter and over 80% compared to a year ago, according to USCIS Q2 FY2025 data, even though the overall backlog has decreased. At the same time, EB-1A cases, which are meant for individuals with extraordinary ability, reached a record high of 16,000 pending petitions. For the people leading advances in AI, these are not just delays. They are missed opportunities. In a field where timing is everything, a slow and unpredictable immigration process can push talent to build somewhere else. The Global Competition Advantage Meanwhile, our allies have streamlined their approach. Canada’s Global Talent Stream processes work visas in two weeks. Australia’s National Innovation Visa offers permanent residency with 13 month processing times for exceptional talent. The UK’s Global Talent visa fast-tracks digital technology experts, including those in AI and fintech. Meanwhile in the U.S., work visa petitions like the H1B and O1 often take several months to process. Employers must pay thousands in additional fees for premium processing just to reduce the wait to 15 business days. These aren’t just policy differences, they’re strategic choices. While we debate, they’re decisively capturing talent that could be strengthening American innovation. But this also represents an opportunity: if they can create efficient systems, so can we. Evolving Policies and Smarter Strategies The encouraging news is that progress is underway. In 2024, policy clarifications helped redefine specialty occupation criteria, making it easier for AI engineers and data scientists to qualify for H1B visas without triggering burdensome requests for evidence. In 2023, the Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence issued to Congress aimed to modernize immigration pathways for technical talent. In 2025, a new Executive Order on AI introduced a broader national strategy focused on innovation, safety, and global competitiveness. While the new order replaced the earlier 2023 directive, it places less emphasis on immigration and education, areas that many experts see as critical to long-term AI leadership. Forward-thinking companies are also adapting. Many are exploring O-1 visas for extraordinary ability, which aren’t subject to annual caps, or EB-2 National Interest Waivers for researchers whose work benefits the U.S. The key is matching the right visa strategy to each individual’s profile, something that requires expertise but yields dramatically better outcomes. America’s Enduring Advantage The infrastructure is already here: world-class universities, robust venture capital, and innovation ecosystems that remain the global gold standard. We need immigration processes that match the speed of the minds we’re trying to attract. According to research from the Center for Growth and Opportunity, a startup visa could create 500,000 to 1.6 million new jobs over 10 years. Our choice is simple: we can streamline the pathways for global talent to contribute to American innovation, or we can watch other nations benefit from the minds we educated and inspired. The future belongs to countries that can attract and empower the world’s brightest. America built that playbook, now we need to execute it.
Category:
E-Commerce
Retirement was once a hard-earned rite of passage for most Americans. However, in modern times, as many working Americans struggle to make ends meet, it’s not always an option. And, outside of financial concerns, more individuals’ sense of purpose appears to be deeply connected to working. That means that for many, retirement is no longer a given, and for some, it’s not desirable. Asset Preservation Wealth & Tax surveyed 1,000 working Americans age 65 to 99. According to the research, 51% of respondents said they planned to continue working indefinitely. “This isnt too surprising considering the cost of living is on the rise, the report explained. “Many seniors struggle with financial insecurity or fear of outliving their retirement savings. Those with major healthcare costs or other financial stressors are the most concerned, the report noted. Financial concerns are certainly plentiful today, especially for older working Americans. From high costs of living to worries about the fate of social security, it makes sense that adults are retiring later, or not at all. A 2022 Gallup survey found that on average, Americans are working around four years longer than they did in the 1990s, from an average age of 57 in 1991 to 61 at the time of the survey. According to the Asset Preservation Wealth & Tax survey, 48% of respondents say they will continue working due to financial necessity. “Our survey also found that just 34% of people feel financially prepared for retirement,” the report explained. “Another 32% do not feel prepared at all, while 34% only feel somewhat prepared. Along with this, 85% of respondents said that financial considerations somewhat or strongly influenced their decision to work past the standard retirement age.” In addition to their own financial concerns, many older workers are supporting other family members, such as grown children. One in five said they are supporting or supplementing children or other family members who do not live with them. And according to a recent Savings.com survey, parents are shelling $1,474 monthly to help their adult children. Therefore, retirement may no longer be a personal choice, but one that may have generational impacts. Still, the shift away from retirement isnt entirely financial. It’s also related to concerns about physical and mental health. According to the Asset Preservation Wealth & Tax survey, many Americans want to continue working as a means of supporting cognition and overall wellness. Forty percent of those surveyed said that even if they had no financial need to continue working, they still would prefer to in order to stay physically and mentally well. And for many, work is central to their sense of identity, which makes retirement an emotional choice. Almost 70% (68%) said that working gives them purpose and 55% said having a job makes them feel valued in society. While there are clear financial incentives that are keeping many Americans employed longer, work is also closely connected to a sense of purpose, identity, and therefore, to mental health. So, for some, giving it upat any ageno longer feels like a reward, but a punishment.
Category:
E-Commerce
The internets favorite programming is back on: #RushTok season is officially upon us. If this is your first time tuning in, rush is the informal name for the recruitment process in which college students in the U.S. vie for a spot in a Greek organization at their campus. On #RushTok, potential new members (PNMs) document their experience rushing different sororities, typically those affiliated with the National Panhellenic Conference. The phenomenon first went viral in 2021, thanks to the University of Alabama. The hashtag #BamaRush now has more than 1.3 million posts, setting the blueprint for how pledge week plays out on TikTok. Since then, #RushTok has evolved into a full-blown internet subculture, with more than 67 million posts at the time of writing. @itsleeonardo The duality of #rushtok original sound – Lee Across the world, people tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at the recruitment process. Current pledges are building excitement, while viral personalities return for their fourth and final year. @kylan_darnell In case you forgot #bamarush Legends Are Made – Sam Tinnesz RushTok has essentially become its own reality TV show (think Dance Moms or Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders but in bite-size content). Young women try to get into their dream sorority, and the internet comes along for the ride. Bama rush tok is my superbowl, one TikTok user posted. Guys who are we rooting for? another asked. @ssammimaee I cant wait to see this rush season #bamarush #bamarushweek #bamarushtok #bama #rolltide original sound – thehotwonton With 2025 recruitment well underway, content ranges from simple OOTD videos to high-energy choreographed dances. Brands are swarming the comments to get in on the action (as are plenty of confused Europeans). @gsuchiomega DAY 4 OF WORK WEEK, WE ARE RAVING OVER PC 25 #LICO #XOXONUKAPPA #GREEKLIFE #GEORGIASOUTHERN #SORORITY #CHIOMEGA #XOGSU #FYP #RUSHTOK #CHIOMEGA original sound – ukkappadelta Peripheral content ramps up during this time, too, including parodies tht highlight the homogeneity of the content. One creator, DestineeMoreh, returns each year to break down the costs behind the flood of outfit of the day posts on the For You Page. The phenomenon has even inspired its own Lifetime documentary, set to premiere later this month. @luciejlass I love watching #bamarush videos so much. #bamarushtok #bamarush #parody #pov original sound – Lucie Lass A number of schools are involved, but ask anyoneBama Rush is the main event. While major players are already warming up, recruitment events at the University of Alabama dont officially begin for a few more days. According to UAs Panhellenic Association, recruitment runs from August 9 through 17. If last years content is anything to go by, itll be over-the-top, chaotic, and very American.
Category:
E-Commerce
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