Geopolitical approaches to AI

US, China, EU present three different approaches to AI. In the United States, the saying, “USA Innovate, China Replicate, Europe Regulate,” is well known. In principle, this motto can be applied in the current geopolitical reality, with some clarifications:

• INNOVATE – The U.S. is dominating investment in general AI development, with a strong speculative and capitalistic approach.

• REPLICATE (?) – China is using AI to monitor citizens and to develop operational, industrial and specialized AI, with an increasing ability to compete with the U.S. through technology dumping as well. The question mark (?) refers to the emergence of an imminent scenario in which China will also be able not only to replicate but also to innovate.

• REGULATE – Europe has so far focused on regulating AI.

To comment on these macro-trends, let us provide some data: at his inauguration in January 2025, Donald Trump announced the “Stargate” joint venture, which included a fund of about $500 billion to consolidate U.S. supremacy in AI.

It should be noted, however, that a few days later the U.S. multinational Nvidia alone lost about $589 billion on the day China launched Deepseek.

Europe, for its part, will mobilize 200 billion euros for investment in artificial intelligence, according to Ursula von der Leyen.

Again: if the Internet is an essential component of the U.S. empire and is under U.S. control, it is equally clear that China is the only power that can rival Washington on the Web and in artificial intelligence.

Another manifest fact is that the two powers adopt Artificial Intelligence in the sociopolitical sphere for different purposes: authoritarian control by China and commercial and financial exploitation by the United States. Amid the divergent positions of the United States and China, Europe seeks a difficult role in defining ethical principles. But the game remains open on all fronts.