US Asks Allies to Take Sides in AI Race with China

The United States is preparing to call on dozens of countries to take sides in the technological rivalry between Washington and Beijing. According to a draft letter from the US State Department obtained by Reuters, countries participating in the Pax Silica initiative would not be allowed to simultaneously belong to the competing framework promoted by China.

The US project aims to secure supply chains for artificial intelligence, semiconductors and critical minerals. About two dozen countries have joined the initiative, including Japan, Australia, South Korea and Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan, in particular, raised concerns in Washington when it also joined the Chinese initiative. The US wants to push its partners toward joint investments and export controls while reducing dependence on technological rivals.

The competition for dominance in AI thus appears to be turning into a broader geopolitical struggle. Washington wants to restrict China's access to critical resources, while Beijing is promoting its own open AI models and a competing system of international cooperation.

(Reuters, mja)