The United States spends more on research and development than any other country analyzed, investing about 3.6 percent of its gross domestic product, according to a new report from Elsevier examining U.S. research and innovation performance.
The analysis compares U.S. research output and investment trends with those of other global economies using data from Scopus and SciVal from 2015 to 2024. The report highlights five critical technology areas where the U.S. federal government prioritized research investments: artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum information science, semiconductors and nuclear technology.
Gain more insights into the evolving capabilities and use cases of AI from technology experts across industry and government at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Artificial Intelligence Summit on March 18. Tickets to the highly anticipated event are still available here.
How Does U.S. Research Activity Compare Across Key Technologies?
The U.S. is leading the world in QIS, with research activity in the field exceeding the global average, but it falls behind in other technology areas, Elsevier found.
The report analyzed the relative activity index, or RAI, which measures a country’s share of research output in a technology area relative to global activity.
In AI, biotechnology, nuclear technology and semiconductors, U.S. research activity is at or below global levels of 1. Semiconductor represents the lowest RAI in the U.S. at 0.75.
For comparison, India and China demonstrate higher research activity across several technologies. India’s RAI for AI and semiconductors is 1.71 and 1.46, respectively. China shows elevated activity in semiconductors with 1.54, artificial intelligence with 1.46, biotechnology with 1.34 and nuclear technology with 1.27.
Which Companies Are Leading U.S. Industry Contributions to Quantum Research?
Industry contributions play a significant role in advancing QIS, according to the report. Among corporate contributors, Alphabet leads industry research activity in QIS, followed by other major technology companies including IBM, Microsoft, Intel and Raytheon.
BBN Technologies, Rigetti Computing, KBR, Northrop Grumman and HYPRES round up the top 10 U.S. industry contributors in QIS.
What Is Elsevier?
Elsevier is a global provider of advanced information and decision-support tools for science and healthcare communities. The company works with governments and funding organizations to make informed decisions that advance scientific discovery and innovation.
Elsevier also supports research integrity and the dissemination of scientific knowledge through journals and other publishing platforms.
