The Struggle For America And China In The Chance Of Artificial Intelligence Technology

smartphone illustration (Photo by Gian Cescon on Unsplash)

JAKARTA - In recent years, the world has seen a drastic increase in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology industry. Likewise about the increasing technology competition between the United States (US) and China.

In a Venturebeat report, Wednesday May 20, at the recent Tortoise Global AI Summit, resource persons discussed the growing relationship between global technology capabilities. Even long before President Trump, waged a trade war with the Bamboo Curtain country.

The speakers agreed that AI will become a focal point in the technology business, which has begun to be exploited in the last few decades. Meanwhile, competition in the two countries is no longer just about handheld devices or smartphones, but has expanded to other business sectors.

"We see technology competition in the context of the deteriorating relationship between the world's two great powers. These two countries have economies of roughly the same size, and they use their economic platforms as vehicles to project power for their influence in controlling the world. AI is mainstream in that broader technology race, "said former head of Britain's MI6 spy agency, John Sawers.

Not only John Sawers who commented on AI technology. CEO of Graphcore Nigel Toon, said that AI technology does not have to be controlled by one large company, apart from the development of regulations in each country to support innovation.

Because according to him, currently only a handful of large companies have the chance to develop technology. Call it technology giants like Facebook and Google in America. Then the e-commerce giants Alibaba and Huawei, which have competitiveness through AI products.

"If other people develop advanced AI faster than Google, that's what Google is worried about. That's why Google bought DeepMind. And Facebook is also investing wealth in this. Just like Alibaba and Tencent," added Toon.

Photo illustration of Huawei / Phone Arena

China Claims to Superior in Privacy Matters

Toon added that the difference between the US and China is that the government has a closer and more cooperative relationship with technology companies. Like the policies and culture on privacy and data that are superior to Uncle Sam's country. That is why AI can be superior to China. Because data security is currently also a concern.

"There are no limits on the collection and use of their data. In the West, we pride ourselves on the privacy of individuals as part of a free society, China has created a very strong surveillance system within their big cities, it is a kind of very broad control mechanism, "explained Sawers.

Sawers argues that it does give them an advantage in this area because AI and machine learning rely heavily on mass data collection and being able to process data as well as manipulate data.

It is known, currently Europe is also refining AI technology to compete with the two countries as an economic and political priority. As such it invests large sums into research and startups, but also seeks to carve out a distinct identity by taking a more ethical approach to AI than the US or China.

But unfortunately, while the region has made impressive strides in many technology-related fields, Europe still relies heavily on other countries because of the many basic components needed to develop advanced computing.