The U.S. is currently a global leader in AI, but China is on America's heels

Currently, about 60% of the world’s biggest artificial intelligence institutions are based in the U.S. On top of that, American investment in corporate AI came to $109 billion in 2024, a sum nearly on par with the rest of global AI spending combined.

But while the U.S. is a clear frontrunner in the global AI space right now, China is closing in on that lead.

Sebastian Mallaby, is a journalist and author of "The Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis, DeepMind and the Quest for Superintelligence.” He recently wrote an opinion piece for the New York Times titled, "I Went to China to See Its Progress on A.I. We Can't Beat It." Mallaby joined “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal to discuss what’s giving China an edge in AI and how different countries are investing in and looking to AI technologies.

To hear their conversation, use the play button at the top of the page.