The US monopoly in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) was long considered unassailable, but now China’s rapid progress has caught the world’s attention. There are several reasons behind this. First, China has invested heavily in AI, including government support, vast data resources, and human capacity. According to a Harvard University report, China has an abundance of data and skilled human resources, which are essential for the development of AI. Second, Chinese models such as DeepSec, Xinpu, and Qwen, which are cheap, open-source, and tailored to local needs, are proving to be much more viable than American models. Global companies such as Standard Chartered and Saudi Aramco are using them. Third, US government sanctions, such as the ban on the sale of Nvidia’s H-20 chip, have hurt American companies, giving China the opportunity to develop its own technologies.
A major reason for America’s lagging behind is its expensive and closed-source technologies. While China’s models are cheap and readily available, American companies like Meta, Google and Anthropic are struggling to prove their superiority. At the same time, China’s government policies and rapid development strategy have made it a leader in the field of AI. There are five strong countries in AI: China, the US, the UK, Canada, South Korea. India is moving fast in the field of AI, but still lags far behind China and the US. India’s strength lies in its large IT industry, skilled human resources and startup culture. The government’s “Digital India” and “AI for All” initiatives have encouraged research and development. However, India still has a long way to go due to lack of data access, investment and infrastructure. The Harvard University report analyzed China’s data and human resource strengths. In addition, there is a heated discussion on social media, especially on X, about China’s AI progress, where Microsoft’s former AI chief also spoke about the narrowing of the gap between the two countries. The race is not just technological, but also ideological. China’s cheap and open AI policy has strengthened its grip on the global stage, while US restrictions and expensive models are slowing its pace.
