Breaking Points: The Real Story Behind China’s Fast-Moving AI Race

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Power struggles in artificial intelligence aren't just about code and chips. They're fundamentally about strategy, trust, and who gets to define the future.

On Breaking Points, Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti recently spoke with Christy Lok, a research fellow at the Matts program and an expert on Chinese AI.

What she revealed challenges a lot of American assumptions, and that's what caught my attention. Lok really pushes back on this familiar narrative that the U.S. and China are locked in a simple zero-sum race. She argues that American AI leaders, people like Dario Amodei and Sam Altman, often blend real safety concerns with commercial self-interest. That's a critical distinction.

Right, because she says the U.S. cannot hope to coordinate with China while relying on what she calls disingenuous posturing. Her core point is that Beijing has been thinking about AI for years, not months. Since 2017, when Xi Jinping spoke of "unseen changes of a century," China has treated AI as a long-term national strategy. So how does China actually view AI in this strategic framework? Lok says China sees it as an engine for industrial productivity, technological sovereignty, and economic maturity, while still recognizing the technology can create serious social risks. But here's what's really striking: the capability gap between the two countries is narrowing fast.

That's a huge shift. Chinese models are becoming more competitive, and open-source development has become a major advantage. It's helping Chinese firms move quickly despite chip shortages. That approach spreads expertise, boosts global influence, and still leaves the state with a level of control that Western regulators often struggle to match. Which brings up the big question: can these two countries actually cooperate? Lok points to recent diplomatic efforts and incident hotlines as signs that dialogue is possible, especially as China faces its own questions about AI safety and stability. She admits earlier talks were limited by power imbalances and geopolitical tension, but says the situation is changing. There's also a fascinating physical dimension to this. How is China managing the actual buildout of AI infrastructure, especially massive data centers? By placing clusters in remote, energy-rich regions, the government tries to reduce environmental and social strain. And because Beijing has shown a willingness to rein in big tech, Lok says public trust in technology governance operates differently there than in the United States. It's a completely different model of accountability.