Trump’s ‘golden age’ push hands top science honours to big tech. Will it work?

President Donald Trump's bid for a U.S. "golden age" of science has seen him hand out the country's highest science and engineering awards to big tech leaders, raising concerns among Chinese analysts and skepticism about its success. The National Medal of Science was awarded to Elon Musk, founder of Tesla and SpaceX, while Nvidia's Jensen Huang, Advanced Micro Devices' Lisa Su, Google's Sergey Brin, and Microsoft's Satya Nadella received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.

These awards are typically given to scientists and researchers, but this year marks the first time tech executives have been honored on such a scale. The recipients are all close allies of the White House, and their companies have deep ties with the Pentagon, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence, which is a major area of competition between the U.S. and China.

Tech executives' growing influence over scientific research could create a cycle that reinforces their policy influence and ability to secure resources. However, it's essential to remember that the "golden age of science" cannot be judged solely by the glamour of the people standing on the podium. China should not underestimate the potential impact of this shift, as big tech companies are investing billions of dollars in AI research and development, further sharpening the competition between the two nations.