Artificial intelligence

AI Is the New Space Race. Here’s What the Biggest Countries Are Doing

The United States and China currently dominate the world of artificial intelligence, but used very different approaches to get there. While the U.S.’s academic system has generated and incubated the research that made today’s AI possible, China’s government has pledged billions in funding and offered the technology its full-throated support.

It’s a space-race redux, where world superpowers battle to define generations of technology to come. Unlike space, there’s no clear finish line.

Despite the duopoly narrative, other countries, including Canada and the UK, have ramped investment in the technology, announcing deals to fund private and public AI ventures. After years of a slow trickle, the first months of 2018 have seen an explosion of government-backed projects announced all over the world. Here are some of the biggest and most consequential.

Refresher: U.S. and China

China is investing at least $7 billion through 2030, including $2 billion for a research park in Beijing. The Chinese government foresees a $150 billion AI industry by that time, and has the most comprehensive national plan to become a leader in the technology. Chinese startups also received 48% of all funding for AI investments, according to CB Insights.

The U.S. has no central AI policy, but individual projects are funded by military and paramilitary departments like DARPA and IARPA. While little is being done on a national level, AI industry and research is led by academia and private industry in the United States.