Is China Gaining an Edge on the US in the AI Race?

Is China Gaining an Edge on the US in the AI Race?

January 29, 2026 · 36 min

About this episode

The episode explores the complexities of the U.S.-China AI rivalry and the differing paths each nation is taking towards technological dominance.

Is the U.S.-China AI rivalry a zero-sum game? While the race for technical dominance heats up, both nations are taking radically different paths to the finish line. MIT Technology Review’s Caiwei Chen and the FT’s John Thornhill join host David Rothkopf to explore where China currently holds the edge—and why the "us versus them" framework fails to capture the true complexity of the AI landscape. This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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