Genetically Engineered Lifeforms (GELs)

Ever since the first corn fields thrived in Africa, and the first slime-molds emptied our landfills, ever since our homes had heartbeats and our cities had veins, biotechnology had become the future. They were no longer genetically modified organisms. Their DNA was too unrecognizable and the technology too impressive. They were new lifeforms altogether.
Our Genetically Engineered Lifeforms (GELs), became our greatest asset. The United States had never seen such a boom in economic prosperity. Everyone in Eurasia still had a "Made in China" sticker stamped to the bottom of their foot, but their shoes, cars, and breakfasts all came straight from American labs. Almost anything was possible with the infinite treasures of the genome and the seemingly even more infinite Federal grant money. Virtually he only restriction placed on GEL production was the requirement that all GELs be of sufficiently low intelligence to warrant their less than ethical treatment; and so, the United States was left to play with its ten-foot chickens. Until that got boring.
It wasn't long before the United States saw other countries making advancements of their own and our egg-headed scientists pumped their egos sufficiently full of artificial growth hormone to tear down this last piece of yellow tape. By 2050, all manner of sapient tools were birthed to life, each less and less familiar with the human stock from which they were produced. Hazmen, Molemen , and dozens more home-grown aliens brought even greater efficiencies, and, given they never wandered to far from corporate land, were allowed to populate small cities of their own.