Executive Summary
In October 2024, Chatham House and Aspen Digital convened events in London and Washington, DC, bringing together a select group of over 50 high-level US and UK policy decision-makers, shapers, and influencers. These events were designed to better understand what we mean by competitiveness in the context of an “AI race” with China and the implications not only for the US and UK, but also for other parts of the world.
Much of the discussion around AI competition with China in the US and UK is focused on national security, trade, and technical research and development (R&D). To interrogate this framing and move beyond the usual narratives about competing with China, participants were encouraged to adopt a long-term, strategic approach to AI competitiveness, focusing on what a “grand strategy” in the age of AI might look like. This more expansive frame considers the long-term priorities of a country, which includes military and national security interests, but also emphasizes prosperity and societal priorities.
In exploring and adapting this broader grand strategy frame, participants engaged with a wider range of inputs to competitiveness and developed more expansive and realistic understandings of what “winning” and “competing” mean in different national contexts. Participants in both meetings highlighted how the strategic application of domestic policy levers (e.g., talent and workforce policy), in addition to traditional security and trade approaches, can improve US and UK AI competition with China. They also highlighted the need for greater alignment on responsible and trustworthy AI governance standards.
While the US and UK are allies and share some priorities and values as democratic, diverse societies, there are significant differences in their approaches to competitiveness. Often considered a middle power, the UK is by no means competitive with the US or China when it comes to AI development, but uniquely excels in certain domains, like convening authority and talent. The US, on the other hand, boasts an often unparalleled technological and economic competitive edge in AI, but is ceding important international allies to China as a result of its lax stance on tech industry regulation and aggressive trade barrier enforcement.
