"There is no day after tomorrow if China wins," US officials are talking about AI like it's existential now

US officials, including Treasury Secretary Bessent, are increasingly framing the AI race with China as an existential threat, suggesting that losing it would render other concerns, like the defense budget, irrelevant. China's foreign ministry countered, asserting that the US's "safety" rhetoric is merely a pretext for maintaining technological dominance. This rapid escalation from company rivalry to a national security issue highlights the perceived high stakes of AI development between the two nations.

This report marks a shift from previous discussions, as US officials now frame the AI race with China as an existential threat, unlike earlier views focused on economic competition.