China’s AI and tech breakthroughs are built on decades of work. Here’s what other nations can learn
A recent study into China’s innovation boom found patenting activity has been accelerating for years and is built on a whole ecosystem, not a few lone heroes.
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the US and Soviet Union were locked in a race for technological and ideological supremacy. The US believed it had a clear lead until October 1957, when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik-1, the world's first artificial satellite, into orbit. Today, the US is in competition with China, which has recently made breakthroughs in areas such as hypersonic missiles, computer chips, and artificial intelligence (AI) models.
A recent study by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) suggests that China's recent "Sputnik moments" were not isolated events, but were instead decades in the making. Chinese patent activity in critical technology areas has been steadily increasing, from fewer than 10,000 annually in the early 2000s to over 400,000 in 2022. China now leads globally in 69 out of 74 critical and emerging technology domains.
Comparatively, Australia has had a strong track record in invention and scientific discovery, but is currently struggling to keep pace with technological leaders. While Australia ranks high in patents in specific areas, such as critical-metals refinement for batteries, its overall spending on research and development has decreased.
Additionally, Australian businesses employ fewer researchers per 1,000 employees compared to the OECD average, suggesting a lack of capacity to turn breakthroughs into commercially viable products and services.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
