CEO Ben Black Shares Insights on “Exporting the AI Stack” at Pax Silica Summit

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) CEO Ben Black participated in the "Exporting the AI Stack" panel discussion at the two-day Pax Silica Summit hosted by Under Secretary of Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg at the U.S. Department of State. CEO Black was joined by International Trade Administration Deputy Under Secretary Bill Guidera, Chair of the President's Council of Advisors in Science and Technology David Sacks, U.S. Senator Jim Risch, and other top AI industry leaders. This panel brought together two initiatives, Pax Silica and the Commerce-led American AI Exports Program to address key challenges and expand the burden-sharing needed for success, including private capital and grant funding from Pax Silica member countries.

"President Trump has challenged us to make sure America is the partner of choice for countries looking to compete in the global race for AI. It is encouraging to see so many of our AI industry leaders and global partners here ready to answer that call.

"Since my confirmation as CEO of DFC last October, the number one request I have received from our partners has been for investment in AI data centers. The opportunities being created by AI are significant but realizing them requires substantial investment in its supporting infrastructure.

"The choices countries make today about telecom networks, fiber systems, data centers, cloud infrastructure, and power generation will not only shape their economic competitiveness, but ours as well. For example, secure telecommunications networks are an essential prerequisite for attracting global investors and best-in-class businesses.

"That is why supporting trusted vendors who can support next generation technology and AI is so important to DFC. Our allies want to partner with the best American technologies and AI industry leaders, but the American AI stack cannot be built on a compromised foundation.

"China understands the stakes. Through its Digital Silk Road, China uses aggressive financing and subsidized offerings to entrench its influence across digital systems worldwide. Their model creates long term dependencies that limit choice, undermine resilience, and target the United States.

"The focus of today's gathering is to offer a better alternative. That is why the DFC exists. DFC was created by President Trump in his first term as a powerful tool to counter China's Belt and Road Initiative. As the international investment arm of the United States Government, our mission is to mobilize private capital to advance U.S. strategic interests and strengthen our allies and partners. Our goal is to build holistic economic ecosystems anchored to U.S. capital markets, insulated against adversary control, and structured to generate strong returns for the American taxpayer.

"Following our reauthorization last year, DFC now has 205 billion dollars of investment capacity and a greater ability to deploy debt, equity, and insurance across the capital stack and investment structures. Importantly, we can now invest in technology and energy anywhere in the world, and we can address vulnerable supply chains wherever they exist.

"We know U.S. led efforts in Costa Rica and Paraguay have kept Huawei out of new 5G networks. I want to congratulate my interagency colleagues for this important accomplishment, and I agree that malign influences must stay out of the Western Hemisphere.

"And this extends around the world. I recently returned from Kazakhstan, one of the newest Pax Silica partners, where DFC announced a partnership alongside PIH, the parent company of one of the country's largest telecommunications providers.

"This monumental deal will expand access to trusted, U.S.-aligned service providers - and I would like to thank Ericsson for everything they've done to support this effort. We know that it is not always easy or costless for our partners to prioritize long-term supply chain resilience and security. We know they face tremendous pressure and retaliation when attempting to diversify their equipment providers and concentrated telecom networks.

"DFC is determined to help our partners make those choices with confidence. U.S. government financing is ready to help meet the growing global demand for the trusted American AI technology stack, from data centers focused on both training and inference, to terrestrial fiber and subsea cables required to move data at scale. While the backbone for the AI era is trusted networks, we can secure the energy supply as well.

"DFC's financial products are uniquely suited to support capital-intensive projects required for AI's growth, including power generation, transmission infrastructure, and grid modernization. Our insurance products alone can mobilize private investment in sums that dwarf our own balance sheet - and that of our adversaries.

"The U.S. government is united behind this mission. America has the most advanced - and the best - technology the world has to offer. We are home to the most innovative entrepreneurs and companies. If we work together with our trusted vendors and strong allies, I am confident that we can meet the challenge ahead."

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The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is the international investment arm of the United States Government and central to U.S. economic statecraft. DFC mobilizes private capital to advance U.S. foreign policy and economic development. Our investments deliver strong returns for American taxpayers, drive meaningful economic development for our allies and partners, and secure supply chains to counter and outcompete our adversaries.