The writer is director of the European Legal Studies Center at Columbia Law School and author of ‘Digital Empires: The Global Battle to Regulate Technology’
The contest over technological supremacy in the age of artificial intelligence is intensifying as tech companies and governments race to seize opportunities presented by the AI revolution. The outcome of this contest depends on many variables, but often overlooked is the fact that no country will win the AI race without cultivating the human talent that is central to innovations in the field.
The US today retains an edge over China across several metrics in the fight for talent in the technology. It leads in foundational research, being home to 13 out of 15 leading AI research institutions. The US also produces the most AI unicorns — start-up businesses valued at more than $1bn. At the same time, China is investing heavily in developing AI, and already leads in related patent applications and journal citations globally.