As the world debates the risks of AI, China closes the technology gap with the US

As the rapid development of artificial intelligence sparks debate over its risks, the United States and China are both intensely working to create increasingly powerful AI models. While the U.S. has traditionally led in AI capabilities, research, and citations, China has been swiftly narrowing the gap, with experts noting that China is now an AI superpower on par with the U.S. in many areas.

Recent reports, including one from the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, suggest that China is erasing the U.S. lead this year.

Chinese companies like Moonshot AI, DeepSeek, and Alibaba have released advanced models that have challenged U.S. rivals, with Moonshot AI's Kimi K3 ranking among the top AI models globally. However, the Chinese government and experts have expressed concerns about the potential security risks posed by AI, including political threats, cyberattacks, and deepfakes.

While Chinese leaders advocate for accelerating AI development and achieving technological self-reliance, they also stress the need to manage AI risks and establish a global AI governance framework.