by Sam Diaz
August 19th, 2008 @ 10:17 am

Intel chairman Craig Barrett, introduced as the company’s chief ambassador, delivered the opening keynote speech at the Intel Developer Forum this morning, highlighting technological innovation and its impact on the globe - just as you’d expect him to do. But Barrett - with a quick apology for briefly jumping into politics - also had a subtle message for Washington.

The U.S. is lagging behind the rest of the world. No big secret there. We’ve known for some time that other countries are kicking our butts when it comes to advanced technology. But technology wasn’t what he was talking about. It was education. “Nations are as strong as their educational systems,” he said, noting that in his travels to emerging countries around the globe, technology and education seem to go hand-in-hand.

There are countries, he said, that are just coming out of the dark ages but recognize that a quality education and the influence of technology are the keys to building a solid future. There’s only one country on the globe that doesn’t think that way, he said. And it’s the United States. “We don’t focus as much as we should on education,” he said.

And when we do, we push standardized tests instead of extracurricular activities that - as proven by on-stage guests - spark innovative products and services that benefit real people and real business. Barrett welcomed Brian McCarthy, a teenager from Hillsboro, Ore. and finalist in Intel’s 2008 Science Talent Search, to the stage to talk about his project.