US leads world on artificial intelligence but China is catching up: study
- China last year had more of the world’s 500 most powerful supercomputers than any other nation, according to researchers
- Nations that fall behind in development and use of AI risk losing competitiveness in key industries, their report says
The study by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation assessed AI using 30 separate metrics including human talent, research activity, commercial development and investment in hardware and software.
The US leads, with an overall score of 44.6 points on a 100-point scale, followed by China with 32 and the European Union with 23.3, the report based on 2020 data found.
The researchers found the US leading in key areas such as investment in start-ups and research and development funding.
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But China has made strides in several areas and last year had more of the world’s 500 most powerful supercomputers than any other nation – 214, compared with 113 for the US and 91 for the EU.
“The Chinese government has made AI a top priority and the results are showing,” said Daniel Castro, director of the think tank’s data innovation centre and lead author of the report.