U.S. Artificial Intelligence blueprint shows stronger resemblance to Cold War tactics than a progressive innovation strategy
July 23, 2025
In a move to establish itself as a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI), the US has released the US AI Action Plan. The plan outlines a series of measures aimed at preventing American technologies from reaching China, countering Chinese influence in international governance bodies, and promoting "American values."
One of the key aspects of the plan is the implementation of export controls. These controls extend beyond physical exports to include the entire tech stack containing semiconductors, models, software, and even research talent. The aim is to block US technologies from reaching China and thus curb China's AI advancement.
The plan also includes a section titled 'Counter Chinese Influence in International Governance Bodies.' The US intends to aggressively assert itself in these bodies to promote "American values" and block what it sees as Chinese overreach. This comes in response to China's perceived use of multilateral bodies like the UN, OECD, G20, and ITU to push AI standards that enable surveillance and reflect authoritarian values.
The plan specifically mentions China/People's Republic of China (PRC) as the primary target. China is perceived to be ahead in the AI race, with some reports suggesting its AI models surpass the US frontier by about six months. This has led to increased US concerns about a potential Chinese strategic advantage, especially in the context of superintelligent AI capable of leveraging China's vast resources.
To support the energy-intensive demands of AI infrastructure, the US must build a bigger grid. Environmental regulations that might slow down the construction of data centers, semiconductor fabs, and energy infrastructure are being streamlined or reduced.
States or countries with "burdensome AI regulations" will be deprioritized for public funding or government contracts. This means not just blocking exports to China, but monitoring how chips move through global supply chains, and penalizing any attempts to sidestep those controls.
The US government is asking chipmakers to verify where their semiconductors physically end up. The plan also aims to fast-track permits for building data centers while ensuring that none depend on "foreign adversary" technology.
In the context of the US-China AI rivalry, Washington has warned its allies to mirror its restrictions, threatening "secondary tariffs" for those who try to backfill the gap left by American firms. The US-China AI rivalry has evolved into a high-stakes technology race with deep geopolitical ramifications, driven by the pursuit of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and dominance in AI capabilities.
[1] AI Development: A Global Race with Deep Implications [2] US-China AI Rivalry: Intensifying Trade Confrontations and Sanctions [3] China's AI Advancement: A Threat to US National Security? [4] China's Call for Global Cooperation in AI Development
- To maintain its lead in the global race for artificial general intelligence (AGI) and AI capabilities, the US is implementing export controls and monitoring chipmakers' semiconductor exports to ensure they do not end up in the hands of foreign adversaries, specifically China.
- The US AI Action Plan also aims to fast-track data center construction while avoiding foreign adversary technology, using strategies like streamlining environmental regulations to support energy-intensive AI infrastructure and seeking to deprioritize funding or government contracts for states with burdensome AI regulations.
- Technology, specifically AI, has emerged as a critical battleground in US-China relations. Consequently, the US has warned its allies to mirror its restrictions on China, with potential consequences like secondary tariffs for those who backfill the gap left by American firms, alluding to a high-stakes technology race with profound geopolitical implications.
