Global Struggle Over Artificial Intelligence: America, China and the West Lock Horns on Multiple battlefields

In a turn of events reminiscent of the Cold War era, the world is once again witnessing a high-stakes competition – this time, in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI).

On January 22, a monumental $500-billion project was announced to construct data centres and electricity plants, led by three companies and US President Donald Trump. The goal of these corporations is ambitious: to achieve human-level intelligence and then allow that intelligence to improve itself.

The race to develop superintelligence is not a side project for the involved companies and nations, but touches the core of their interests. In the United States, the main competitors are Google, Facebook, Elon Musk, Microsoft, and Open AI. Meanwhile, China is represented by its homegrown talent, with the emergence of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI chatbot, causing a stir.

Five days after the project announcement, DeepSeek became the number one download on app stores, a surprising success given the restrictions on China's access to the most sophisticated computer chips. This success is being compared to the "Sputnik moment" in the space race, a reference to the Soviet Union's launch of the first artificial satellite in 1957.

The technological gap between nations has narrowed significantly over the last two centuries, and the AI race is no exception. The Americans achieved the most spectacular achievement of the space race with the human landings on the moon in 1969, but remained behind for several years after the launch of Sputnik. Today, the total spend on AI research is many times more than what was spent on NASA and the Soviet space program combined.

However, the race is not just between the West and the East. The Americans fear losing global dominance if China develops AI first, but democracies in developing nations like India are also attracted to the United States. Yet, they recognise the contest as one between America and Asia.

The European Union, while economically powerful, is not a serious competitor in the AI field. The AI race is a testament to the primary drivers being corporates, not public interest, national pride, or government spending.

The leader of the Chinese team behind the development of DeepSeek is Liang Wenfeng, who founded the company in July 2023 and holds a major stake in it. His success comes after the contributions of Wernher von Braun, a captured German scientist, who played a significant role in the American space program.

The stakes are high, with national security interests at play. The Americans have devoted enormous resources to catch up after Sputnik's launch, and the AI race is no different. All other nations can only hope for a favorable outcome, or one that is less unfavourable. The question remains: Who will be the first to reach the finish line?

Global Struggle Over Artificial Intelligence: America, China and the West Lock Horns on Multiple battlefields