China Will Lose the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Race (And Why America Will Win) – The National Interest Online
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly embedded into every aspect of life, and China is pouring billions into its bid to become an AI superpower. China's three-step plan is to pull equal with the United States in 2020, start making major breakthroughs of its own by mid-decade, and become the world's AI leader in 2030.
There's no doubt that Chinese companies are making big gains. Chinese government spending on AI may not match some of the most-hyped estimates, but China is providing big state subsidies to a select group of AI national champions, like Baidu in autonomous vehicles (AVs), Tencent in medical imaging, Alibaba in smart cities, Huawei in chips and software.
State support isn't all about money. It's also about clearing the road to success -- sometimes literally. Baidu ("China's Google") is based in Beijing, where the local government has kindly closed more than 300 miles of city roads to make way for AV tests. Nearby Shandong province closed a 16 mile mountain road so that Huawei could test its AI chips for AVs in a country setting.
In other Chinese AV test cities, the roads remain open but are thoroughly sanitized. Southern China's tech capital, Shenzhen, is the home of AI leader Tencent, which is testing its own AVs on Shenzhen's public roads. Notably absent from Shenzhen's major roads are motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, or even pedestrians. Two-wheeled vehicles are prohibited; pedestrians are comprehensively corralled by sidewalk barriers and deterred from jaywalking by stiff penalties backed up by facial recognition technology.
And what better way to jump-start AI for facial recognition than by having a national biometric ID card database where every single person's face is rendered in machine-friendly standardized photos?
Making AI easy has certainly helped China get its AI strategy off the ground. But like a student who is spoon-fed the answers on a test, a machine that learns from a simplified environment won't necessarily be able to cope in the real world.
Machine learning (ML) uses vast quantities of experiential data to train algorithms to make decisions that mimic human intelligence. Type something like "ML 4 AI" into Google, and it will know exactly what you mean. That's because Google learns English in the real world, not from memorizing a dictionary.
It's the same for AVs. Google's Alphabet cousin Waymo tests its cars on the anything-goes roads of everyday America. As a result, its algorithms have learned how to deal with challenges like a cyclist carrying a stop sign. Everything that can happen on America's roads, will happen on America's roads. Chinese AI is learning how to drive like a machine, but American AI is learning how to drive like a human -- only better.
American, British, and (especially) Israeli facial recognition AI efforts face similar real-world challenges. They have to work with incomplete, imperfect data, and still get the job done. What's more, they can't throw up too many false positives -- innocent people identified as threats. China's totalitarian regime can punish innocent people with impunity, but in democratic countries, even one false positive could halt a facial recognition roll-outs.
It's tempting to think that the best way forward for AI is to make it easy. In fact, the exact opposite is true. Like a muscle pushed to exercise, AI thrives on challenges. Chinese AI may take some giant strides operating in a stripped-down reality, but American AI will win the race in the real world. Reality is complicated, and if it's one thing Americans are good at, it's dealing with complexity.
Salvatore Babones is an adjunct scholar at the Centre for Independent Studies and an associate professor at the University of Sydney.
- Chinas drive toward self-reliance in artificial intelligence: from chips to large language models - Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Analysis | Trumps Artificial Intelligence Action Plan is already stirring debate - The Washington Post - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Artificial Intelligence Influence in Ophthalmology Industry Projected to Create a Billion Dollar Revenue Opportunity - Yahoo Finance - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Biogen expanding to keep pace with modernization, artificial intelligence - The Center Square - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- 2 Top Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks to Buy on the Dip - The Motley Fool - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Artificial Intelligence: Regulatory Vets Using An App To Help Improve Horse Welfare Worldwide - Paulick Report - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) In Beauty and Cosmetics Market: A Guide to Understanding the Process - openPR.com - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Prediction: This Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Could Hit a $2 Trillion Valuation by July 31 - The Motley Fool - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Could This Monster Nvidia-Backed Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Center Stock Be the Best Bargain in the Market Right Now? - Yahoo Finance - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Are We Creating Our Own Obsolescence? The Human Cost Of Artificial Intelligence - The Friday Times - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Artificial Intelligence in Drug Discovery Market Generated - openPR.com - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Could This Monster Nvidia-Backed Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Center Stock Be the Best Bargain in the Market Right Now? - The Motley Fool - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- 3 Scorching-Hot Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks Primed for a Stock Split -- One of Which Is a Familiar Face (No, Not Nvidia or Palantir!) - The... - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- The Smartest Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks to Buy With $1,000 Right Now - The Motley Fool - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Decentralized Artificial Intelligence Cypherpunk Revolution of Lightchain AI - Bitcoin.com News - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Why Is Wall Street Obsessed With AI (Artificial Intelligence) Leader Nvidia? - The Motley Fool - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- You can make really good stuff fast: new AI tools a gamechanger for film-makers | Artificial intelligence (AI) - The Guardian - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Opinion | Dictionaries Are Better Than Artificial Intelligence - The New York Times - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- The energy and artificial intelligence summit brought bold predictions and billions in investments. What happens next? - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Artificial intelligence on the battlefield in 2025 - The Jerusalem Post - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- 2 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks That Could Be Too Cheap to Ignore Right Now - MSN - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- 5 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Infrastructure Stocks Powering the Next Wave of Innovation - The Motley Fool - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Artificial Intelligence topic of chamber discussion (VIDEO) - Mid Hudson News - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- CJB Crypto pioneered the use of artificial intelligence - GlobeNewswire - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- 2 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks That Could Be Too Cheap to Ignore Right Now - The Motley Fool - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- 5 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Infrastructure Stocks Powering the Next Wave of Innovation - Mitrade - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- This Magnificent Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Is Down 50%. Buy the Dip, or Run for the Hills? - The Motley Fool - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- This Artificial Intelligence Stock Has Beaten the Market in 9 of the Past 10 Years. And It's On Track to Do It Again in 2025. - The Motley Fool - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- 39.1% of Warren Buffett's $291 Billion Portfolio Is Invested in 3 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks - The Motley Fool - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- 5 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks You Can Buy and Hold for the Next Decade - The Motley Fool - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Nvidia Just Topped a $4 Trillion Market Cap, but a Different Artificial Intelligence (AI) Giant Is Headed to $4.5 Trillion, According to a Certain... - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- 3 No-Brainer Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks to Buy With $300 Right Now - The Motley Fool - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Could This Under-the-Radar Artificial Intelligence (AI) Defense Company Be the Next Palantir? - The Motley Fool - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Worldwide, it's an artificial intelligence-powered way to browse the web - Business Standard - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- 3 Words That Could Be a Big Problem for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chatbots - The Motley Fool - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Got $3,000? 2 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Long Term - Yahoo Finance - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- 1 No-Brainer Artificial Intelligence Index Fund to Buy Right Now for Less Than $1,000 - The Motley Fool - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- After Plummeting Over $1 Trillion in Value, This Super Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Is Mounting a Major Comeback, With Analysts Predicting Gains... - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Amazon Hits an Artificial Intelligence Milestone. And It Could Signify Huge Profit Growth Ahead. - The Motley Fool - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Artificial Intelligence, real emotions AI is more emotionally intelligent than humans, new study finds - Tom's Guide - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- 1 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock That Wall Street Thinks Will Soar 64% Higher Over the Next 12 Months (Hint: It's Not Nvidia or Palantir) - Yahoo... - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- 1 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock to Buy Before It Jumps 37%, According to a Wall Street Analyst - The Motley Fool - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- 2 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks the U.S. Government Wants to Support - The Motley Fool - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Virginia Governor Boosts Artificial Intelligence to Fill Jobs, Cut Regulations - Inside Climate News - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- This Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Has Quietly Outperformed Nvidia All Year - Yahoo Finance - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Teachers gather to talk artificial intelligence in the classroom - WHNT.com - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- 2 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks to Buy Before They Surge to $3 Trillion, According to Select Wall Street Analysts - Yahoo Finance - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Commercialization of medical artificial intelligence technologies: challenges and opportunities - Nature - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- This Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Has Quietly Outperformed Nvidia All Year - Nasdaq - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Pondering the good and bad of artificial intelligence - Farm and Dairy - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Prediction: This Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Will Be Worth $1 Trillion in 5 Years - The Motley Fool - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- AI is everywhere: UGAs Institute for Artificial Intelligence - The Red & Black - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- 1 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock That Wall Street Thinks Will Soar 64% Higher Over the Next 12 Months (Hint: It's Not Nvidia or Palantir) - The... - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- The Geopolitics of Code: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of American Soft Power - The National Interest - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- This Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Trades at Just 22 Times Earnings -- and It's Growing Fast - The Motley Fool - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Americans May Have To Pay Much More For Electricity. Reason: Artificial Intelligence - thedailyjagran.com - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Navigating artificial intelligence in the classroom with Marc Watkins - WLOX - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Teachers gather to talk artificial intelligence in the classroom - Yahoo - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Exploring the rise of artificial intelligence company OpenAI - CBS News - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- AI isnt just for coders: 7 emerging non-tech career paths in artificial intelligence - Times of India - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- New school policy to address use of artificial intelligence - Coast Star - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Context-Aware Retrieval-Augmented Generation for Artificial Intelligence in Urology - Cureus - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- This Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Has Outperformed Palantir in 2025. Is It Still a Buy? - The Motley Fool - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Three companies to develop artificial intelligence (AI) for military command and control and decision-making - Military Aerospace - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- The Rise of AI: How Artificial Intelligence is Reshaping Our Lives and Jobs - Vocal - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Is Microsoft the Top Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock to Buy Right Now? - The Motley Fool - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- This Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Has Outperformed Palantir in 2025. Is It Still a Buy? - AOL.com - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Enabling customers to deliver production-ready AI agents at scale | Artificial Intelligence - Amazon.com - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Artificial intelligence cannot replace helpfulness of gate attendants in The Villages - Villages-News.com - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- 2 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks That Are Cheaper Than You'd Expect - The Motley Fool - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Opinion: How to handle artificial intelligence in the classroom - STLtoday.com - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- The Most Feared NFL Players of All Time According to Artificial Intelligence - Al Bat - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- 3 Artificial Intelligence Stocks You Can Buy for Less Than $100 Right Now - The Motley Fool - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- AIs new wave: How artificial intelligence is reshaping business and life as we know it - Maui Now - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Google to invest billions for hydroelectric energy and artificial intelligence in Pa. - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Steve Jobs was right: he had already envisioned artificial intelligence 40 years ahead of everyone else - 3DVF - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- From innovation to exposure: artificial intelligence risks for legal professionals - Reuters - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- How artificial intelligence is transforming the way people use the internet - KUOW - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- How artificial intelligence is transforming the way people use the internet - Iowa Public Radio - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Artificial intelligence for diagnosing rare bone diseases: a global survey of healthcare professionals - Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]