Juan Carlos López
Senior WriterAn engineer by training. A science and tech journalist by passion, vocation, and conviction. I've been writing professionally for over two decades, and I suspect I still have a long way to go. At Xataka, I write about many topics, but I mainly enjoy covering nuclear fusion, quantum physics, quantum computers, microprocessors, and TVs.
The Trump administration is committed to making the necessary decisions to keep the U.S. at the forefront of artificial intelligence. Major world powers see AI as critically important. In fact, the ongoing competition for global supremacy between China and the U.S. largely centers around AI, mainly because its applications seem limitless.
AI is already being utilized for various purposes, including medical diagnostics through image analysis, drug design, and the production of new materials. However, it can also be applied to develop highly sophisticated weapons. Vice President JD Vance delivered a speech at the Paris AI Summit, clearly outlining the U.S.’s position on this matter.
He said, “The Trump administration will ensure that the most powerful AI systems are built in the U.S. with American-designed and manufactured chips... The U.S. is the leader in AI, and our administration plans to keep it that way. The U.S. possesses all components across the full AI stack, including advanced semiconductor design, frontier algorithms, and, of course, transformational applications.”
This statement reflects a strong intent, although the U.S. does face some challenges.
More Than One-Third of U.S. AI Experts Come from China
Many companies that have developed advanced AI models are based in the U.S., including OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Anthropic, Meta, IBM, Cohere, and xAI. However, the knowledge that drives innovation in the U.S. isn’t solely in the hands of American researchers. Chinese scientists are making significant contributions to the American AI ecosystem.
There are more Chinese AI experts in the U.S. than professionals with U.S. backgrounds.
According to researchers at the Paulson Institute in Chicago, 38% of AI experts working in the U.S. have been trained at Chinese universities. The study findings suggest that there are more Chinese AI experts in the U.S. than those with solely U.S. origins. Nikkei Asia reports that this situation has raised concerns among some industry experts. They believe China may choose to repatriate its students and researchers from the U.S. to strengthen its own AI industry.
Some of the world’s leading science and technology centers are located in China. Notable examples include Tsinghua University in Beijing, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, University of Science and Technology in Hefei, and South China University of Technology in Guangzhou. These institutions share a common distinction: They’re globally recognized hubs for technology, innovation, and applied science. Many of their graduates are now working in the U.S. Given the current AI race, it’s understandable that some U.S. experts are worried about the potential loss of highly qualified personnel to its biggest rival.
Image | Julien Tromeur
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