The three questions driving the economy

Inside the The Hill’s Invest in America event

The Hill held its second annual Invest in America Summit on Wednesday, as lawmakers, regulators and industry leaders spoke about how the U.S. economy is changing and keeping up with its competitors. 

Whether it was how artificial intelligence (AI) and President Trump’s tariffs are impacting the economy or the future of energy markets, speakers at the event, sponsored by Tokyo Electron, touched on a variety of topics. 

Here are three questions that they addressed.

How is AI changing the economy?

Significantly — and rapidly. Multiple speakers highlighted the expanding use of AI in the workforce. 

“You can’t have any conversation about anything anymore without bringing AI into the conversation,” Ann Fairchild, the president and CEO of Siemens USA, told moderator Betty Liu. 

Nearly 9 in 10 businesses reported using AI in at least one business function last year, according to a McKinsey survey. The 88 percent of businesses that reported using AI in 2025 was up 10 percentage points from 2024 and up 68 points from 2017. 

How have Trump’s tariffs impacted businesses?

Greatly, with firms still dealing with the effects of the president’s import taxes. 

Peter Navarro, a senior counselor to Trump on trade and manufacturing, told Liu that the president seeks to “protect our manufacturing base, our defense industrial base [and] American workers” by imposing tariffs. 

“All we want to do is balance........

© The Hill