Plugged in, not locked in: middle powers navigate US-China AI rivalry

Middle powers are navigating the US-China competition in artificial intelligence (AI) by favoring flexible partnerships over closed alliances, emphasizing a "plugged in, not locked in" approach. Alejandro Reyes, an adjunct professor at the University of Hong Kong, said that middle powers are exercising agency in the AI era, selectively partnering with both Beijing and Washington "issue by issue" rather than aligning with a single camp.

Reyes argued that middle economies should pursue "network sovereignty" – maintaining domestic control over critical aspects closest to citizens, such as data, energy, and public-service AI, while diversifying upstream suppliers to prevent any single country from wielding monopolistic leverage.

Brief written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.