For many years, artificial intelligence was seen as a "playing field" dominated by the US, with a clear advantage in technology, research, and investment. However, the latest data shows this picture is rapidly changing.
According to a 2026 report by the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence , China currently leads the world in the number of scientific publications and citations in the field of AI. These are important indicators reflecting a country's influence and contribution to research.
Beyond academia, China is also rapidly accelerating its practical applications. The number of AI-integrated industrial robots deployed in the country is nearly nine times higher than in the US, demonstrating the rapid pace of transferring technology from the laboratory to production.
Most notably, in the patent sector, China accounted for over 74% of all AI patents granted globally in 2024, compared to approximately 12% for the US and 3% for the European Union. This reflects China's long-term strategy of building a technological and intellectual property foundation.
However, the US still maintains a certain advantage in terms of AI model quality. Leading US systems still outperform in performance, but this gap has narrowed significantly.
From 2025 to the present, the models of the two countries have continuously "overtaken" each other in the rankings, with the difference now only a few percent.
One major difference lies in investment. Last year, the private sector in the US spent $258.9 billion on AI, while China invested around $12.4 billion. However, experts believe that US resources are concentrated in a few large corporations, while China has a broader and more coordinated approach.
Overall, the AI competition between the two superpowers is no longer a "one-sided" story. China is emerging as a real counterweight, gradually narrowing the gap and even showing signs of surpassing the US in some aspects.
This shift has not only technological implications, but also far-reaching effects on the economy, geopolitics , and the future of global industries.
LE LE
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/trung-quoc-but-pha-ai-thach-thuc-ngoi-dau-cua-my-20260420080549717.htm
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