Stargate Aims to Position US at the Front of the Global AI Race
Stargate’s announcement comes a week after AI trailblazer OpenAI published a policy white paper calling the US government to invest more in the technology to continue the country’s global leadership in innovation while protecting national security.
The paper estimates that there’s $175 billion sitting in global funds awaiting to be invested in AI projects, and claims if the US doesn’t attract those funds, they could flow into the pockets of our biggest global competitor, China, “strengthening the Chinese Communist Party’s global influence” as a result.
“This project ensures that the United States will remain the global leader in AI and technology, rather than letting competitors like China gain the edge,” – President Donald Trump at the White House event
China has outpaced the US in machine learning patents every year since 2021, and the nation’s rapidly developing AI sector is intensifying concerns around surveillance and trading dominance. With Stargate aiming to set the global standard in AI, it appears OpenAI’s prayers have been answered.
Yet, as the US prioritizes unchecked innovation, it’s likely that Stargate could raise the stakes of the AI race and exacerbate global trading disputes even further. What’s more, with Trump reversing an executive order from former President Joe Biden which aimed to regulate AI risks on the first day of his administration, it’s unclear how the President’s hands-off AI strategy will play out in the long term.
Donald Trump by Gage Skidmore. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
