US Is Said to Have Lost AI Race With China

Former Pentagon chief software officer Nicolas Chaillan believes that the global race for AI leadership between the US and China is already over as the latter has taken over.

He further predicts that China will continue to dominate because of its advancements in highly technological fields of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cyber capabilities. Chaillan was also quoted saying that the US has no fighting chance against China even in 15 to 20 years.

Notably, he recently resigned in protest at the US government’s slow-paced technological changes, especially in the military.

Before that, the US Senate approved the United States Innovation and Competition Act, aiming to stimulate the development of artificial intelligence, boost semiconductor production, etc.

Furthermore, $250 billion is to be invested in the next five years, which is seen as a necessary cash injection for the country’s race for technological innovation against China. US President Joe Biden said, “we are in a competition to win the 21st century, and the starting gun has gone off.”

However, China’s National People’s Congress foreign affairs committee deems the bill to be smearing China’s development and interfering in its internal affairs with the excuse of innovation and competition.

Overall, there are increasing efforts addressing the importance of AI technology and the possible threats. Namely, Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, emphasized the need for a moratorium on the sale and use of AI systems. What’s more, the agenda of the inaugural meeting of the Trade and Technology Council (TTC) featured AI.

Earlier this month, the director of the US government’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center said that the architecture and networks of artificial intelligence are weapons that have to be treated as such. He further stated that, as AI technology advances, its networks’ security would be critical in addressing the threat of cyberattacks.