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Opinion | Beyond tech, the US-China AI race is a tussle over ethics
- From healthcare to weapons, the ethical frameworks they develop will influence global norms and define standards in coming decades
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Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping our industries, economies, technologies and global power dynamics. The United States and China are leading contenders in the race to dominate the rapidly advancing field of AI. But what sets these AI giants apart?
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With its history of innovation and booming tech industry, the US has long been at the helm of AI development and investment. China, however, has worked on closing the gap through ambitious, state-driven initiatives. Over the years, both countries have seen their AI involvement change in the technological, medical and military fields – these changes may yet shape the US-China relationship.
The US has solidified its AI leadership by providing broad access to research resources, including through the National AI Research Resource, and investing in workforce development to build an AI-ready workforce. Examples include a pilot programme by the energy department and National Science Foundation to train more than 500 new AI researchers by 2025.
America’s plans underline its focus on the need for a skilled workforce to progress in science, the economy and national security.
China has also made remarkable strides in its AI research, surpassing the US in several key areas. According to Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology, China leads globally in the volume of AI research papers, with the Chinese Academy of Sciences at the forefront. While the quality of Chinese research supposedly lagged, Chinese institutions now rank highest in highly cited research.
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China’s AI strategy heavily emphasises computer vision, a field that accounts for 32 per cent of global AI research and grew by 121 per cent between 2017 and 2022. This aligns with China’s strategic AI priorities, which include autonomous vehicles, manufacturing and surveillance. The US, however, maintains an edge in machine learning models, led by tech giants such as Google and Microsoft.
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