Jacob Helberg is the 22nd U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs. A longtime technology and national‑security policy figure, he previously served as an advisor to the White House Council of Economic Advisors, senior advisor to the CEO of data‑analytics company Palantir Technologies, and a commissioner on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Before government service he led Google’s global search policy team focused on disinformation and foreign interference, helped found the political‑risk firm GeoQuant, and wrote the book “The Wires of War” about technology and geopolitics. He also founded the Hill & Valley Forum to connect Silicon Valley leaders with U.S. lawmakers and has worked with Stanford University’s Program on Geopolitics and Technology. He holds an M.S. in cybersecurity risk and strategy from New York University.
The Under Secretary for Economic Affairs is the State Department’s senior official in charge of economic diplomacy. The office leads U.S. efforts to:
The U.S.-UAE Economic Policy Dialogue is an annual, high‑level meeting between the U.S. and United Arab Emirates governments, created in 2012 as a forum to strengthen their economic relationship. It is co‑chaired by senior economic officials from both sides and aims to promote bilateral trade and investment and improve the business environment.
Recent dialogues have typically covered topics such as trade and investment flows, climate and clean‑energy cooperation, food and energy security, the digital economy, health security, aerospace, women’s economic empowerment, supply‑chain resilience, science and technology cooperation, and joint efforts on anti‑money‑laundering and counter‑terrorist financing.
In this State Department context, “emerging technologies” refers to advanced, fast‑developing technologies that are becoming important for economic growth and national security. U.S. policy documents group these under “critical and emerging technologies,” which include areas such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, advanced and quantum computing, semiconductors, advanced communications, space technologies, and related digital and cyber tools. The exact list can vary by initiative, but the term generally means cutting‑edge technologies where the U.S. seeks to maintain or build leadership together with partners.
The media note on Helberg’s trip does not specify concrete deals or agreements the United States is seeking. It only states that he will hold bilateral meetings and events “to further the United States’ economic relationships and advance partnerships in emerging technologies,” and that he will lead the U.S. delegation to the 11th U.S.-UAE Economic Policy Dialogue. Any specific outcomes (for example, MOUs, investment announcements, or technology partnerships) have not been detailed publicly in this announcement.
The State Department announcement does not provide a detailed public schedule, list specific public events, or mention planned press briefings during Helberg’s trip. It only notes the dates (January 9–18, 2026) and the countries he will visit, plus his role in leading the U.S. delegation to the 11th U.S.-UAE Economic Policy Dialogue. Any additional public events or briefings would typically be announced separately by the State Department or U.S. embassies, but no such details appear in this media note.
The media note does not name any other U.S. officials or private‑sector participants traveling with Under Secretary Helberg, nor does it identify members of the U.S. delegation to the 11th U.S.-UAE Economic Policy Dialogue. As of this announcement, the composition of the delegation beyond Helberg himself has not been publicly specified.