The AI race: myth and reality

Alex Krook (ed.), Reimagining the AI Arms Race, 87-97

2026

Co-authors: Wendy Hall

Themes: Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Category: Book chapter, Open access, Peer reviewed

Although perception of an AI race influences behaviour and shapes outcomes in practice, there is not one single race, but rather multiple races occurring across different layers of the AI stack. While the United States and China are the primary contenders, they are pursuing fundamentally different objectives. This is further complicated by the participation of diverse global players who, while not necessarily competing for global hegemony, are competing nonetheless.

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