• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechUnited States

Tech CEOs Present $1 Trillion Savings Plan to Trump Administration

Robert Hackett
By
Robert Hackett
Robert Hackett
Down Arrow Button Icon
Robert Hackett
By
Robert Hackett
Robert Hackett
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 12, 2017, 7:00 AM ET

When Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM (IBM), strolled across the atrium connecting her company’s New York City office building and Trump Tower for a meeting with the President-elect’s incoming administration and tech industry leaders last month, she had a report in hand.

Rometty held a copy of a cost savings proposal drafted by the Technology CEO Council, a think tank of IT chieftains on which she sits as a member alongside Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell, Intel (INTC) CEO Brian Krzanich, Oracle (ORCL) co-CEO Safra Catz, and others. The report concluded that the government could save more than $1 trillion over the next decade by enacting certain tech policies.

“There is no shortage of ways that $1 trillion in savings could be redeployed for the benefit of more Americans,” Rometty said in a statement provided to Fortune along with an exclusive preview of that white paper ahead of its public release Thursday. “We are offering the incoming administration this report to help them innovate and invest for the American people.”

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Rometty, who joined President-elect Trump’s economic advisory team last month, teased the set of recommendations in an open letter in November. In that missive, she mentioned how data center consolidation, cloud adoption, and cybersecurity could improve the internal workings—and economic outlook—of the U.S. government.

Additionally cosigned by the CEOs of Micron Technologies (MU), Xerox (XRX), Akamai (AKAM), and Qualcomm (QCOM), the council’s report aims to address the United States’ growing $19 trillion debt and rusting digital infrastructure by providing recommendations from private industry to overhaul federal systems. For instance, streamlining supply chain operations could save the government $500 billion, according to the report.

That’s not all. Quashing fraudulent payments could free up $270 billion, and improving decision-making processes by applying big data-cum-“cognitive computing” (Big Blue’s nickname for machine learning algorithms) could save $205 billion.

The report also recommends installing a federal chief information officer to lead modernization efforts.

Here’s a list of the potential savings areas contained in the report, drawn and extrapolated from private sector figures.

screen-shot-2017-01-12-at-2-50-09-am

The latest report’s findings are very similar to an earlier iteration published by the council eight years ago, as President Barack Obama was taking office. That previous report, issued when Rometty’s predecessor Sam Palmisano headed IBM and sat on the council, also said that the government could $1 trillion over the course of a decade through a comparable, albeit not identical, set of tech recommendations.

One major difference is the addition of “cognitive computing” to the number three spot on the latest report, a factor that has owed to a renaissance in artificial intelligence research in recent years. IBM, in particular, has been doubling down on the business opportunity with its Watson system.

Bruce Mehlman, executive director of the council, told Fortune on a call that he rejects conventional wisdom about a tax tradeoff when it comes to upgrading federal infrastructure.

“The conversation about government has devolved into a binary, undesirable choice,” said Mehlman on a call. “That is, either raise taxes to pay for the growing cost of government, or cut services to avoid the cost of government growing.”

Mehlman, the former assistant secretary for tech policy at the Commerce Department during George W. Bush’s presidency, believes that investing in up-to-date systems will reap considerable dividends, he said. Federal budget planners might try projecting five years out, as many businesses do, to stay ahead and save money in the long run, per advice in the report.

After all, “those funds could drive modern infrastructure investments,” Rometty said.

About the Author
Robert Hackett
By Robert Hackett
Instagram iconLinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

dario
CommentaryAnthropic
Anthropic’s most powerful AI model just exposed a crisis in corporate governance. Here’s the framework every CEO needs.
By Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Stephen Henriques, Dan Kent and Holden LeeMay 2, 2026
1 hour ago
Photo of vegan cheese products
AITech
A Mark Cuban–backed vegan cheese company trained AI to scrutinize cardboard boxes. It’s saved $400,000
By Jake AngeloMay 1, 2026
20 hours ago
Young trade worker learning on job
SuccessHiring
Forget Big Tech: Small businesses will hire nearly 1 million grads in 2026—and some of the hottest roles are gloriously AI-proof
By Emma BurleighMay 1, 2026
21 hours ago
Andrew McAfee
SuccessCareers
MIT AI expert warns automating Gen Z entry-level jobs could backfire—and cost companies their future workforce
By Preston ForeMay 1, 2026
21 hours ago
duke
Big TechAmazon
Amazon Prime Video reaches deal with Duke Blue Devils to air 3 games per season
By The Associated PressMay 1, 2026
24 hours ago
valerie
CommentaryLayoffs
Tesla’s former HR chief: the AI layoff panic Is built on a false premise—here’s what most workers need to know
By Valerie Capers WorkmanMay 1, 2026
24 hours ago

Most Popular

Scott Bessent on financial literacy: 'it drives me crazy' to see young men in blue-collar construction jobs playing the lottery
Personal Finance
Scott Bessent on financial literacy: 'it drives me crazy' to see young men in blue-collar construction jobs playing the lottery
By Fatima Hussein and The Associated PressMay 1, 2026
24 hours ago
China dominates the world's lithium supply. The U.S. just found 328 years' worth in its own backyard
North America
China dominates the world's lithium supply. The U.S. just found 328 years' worth in its own backyard
By Jake AngeloApril 30, 2026
2 days ago
The U.S. economy is booming — just not where 50 million Americans live
Commentary
The U.S. economy is booming — just not where 50 million Americans live
By Derek KilmerMay 1, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of May 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 1, 2026
1 day ago
A Chick-fil-A worker got fired and then showed up behind the register to allegedly refund himself over $80,000 in mac and cheese
Law
A Chick-fil-A worker got fired and then showed up behind the register to allegedly refund himself over $80,000 in mac and cheese
By Catherina GioinoMay 1, 2026
20 hours ago
Apple cofounder Ronald Wayne—whose stake would be worth up to $400 billion had he not sold it in 1976—says that at 91, he has no regrets
Success
Apple cofounder Ronald Wayne—whose stake would be worth up to $400 billion had he not sold it in 1976—says that at 91, he has no regrets
By Preston ForeApril 27, 2026
5 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.