Jacob Poushter reports that a majority of Americans believe China is currently more advanced than the United States in artificial intelligence development.

Jacob Poushter, an associate director at the Pew Research Center, reports that 36% of Americans believe China is more advanced in artificial intelligence than the United States. This figure significantly outweighs the 12% of respondents who believe the U.S. is leading. Despite this, 43% of Americans consider it extremely or very important for the U.S. to maintain global leadership in the field. The survey highlights a growing concern regarding global inequality, with 51% of respondents predicting that AI will widen the gap between rich and poor countries. Demographic data shows that older adults and Republicans are more likely to view U.S. leadership in AI as a high priority. The competition between Washington and Beijing intensifies as the U.S. seeks to protect its technological edge against China's rapid progress. President Trump emphasized the importance of the race, stating that the U.S. must possess the world's most powerful AI systems. The administration plans to discuss these advancements further during a summit with President Xi Jinping in September.

Sources