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The USA profits from this (in dollars and cents) for a number of reasons. For one thing, our industries need smart people to build competitive products. For another thing, being a center of science attracts investments to the US, and also generates revenue from visiting students and scientists. Not to mention the kinds of benefits that may not have immediate cash payoff, but better position the US to be a world leader.

We seem to have given all that up now, for reasons that aren't very clear to me.

	▲	corimaith 4 days ago \| parent \| next [-]
		I don't think America has been innovating much since 2015. And the Chinese are managing fine or even better without these. There's an argument though that the sheer prevalence of these talent programs institutes a sort of "institutional capture" over innovation. It works for those who are recognized it, but these also soon become requirements to more prestigious facilities. Which leaves those whose interests are not so recognized with increasesd barriers to realizing their visions. The pure exam systems are somewhat more holistic in that manner, after that single barrier there is a greater degree of freedom in heterogeneity.
	▲	trallnag 4 days ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		So, it's about soft power, something I got disillusioned by in the wake of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Or maybe China, India, etc. are just better at it.