AI Superpowers

Advances in programming driven by algorithms are ushering in a new era of artificial intelligence (AI). Exploiting advances in deep learning, AI seems poised to replace humans in many cognitive and physical jobs. The largest AI firms are clustered in China and in the United States, but, according to Kai-Fu Lee, chairman of Sinovation Ventures focusing on Chinese high tech investments, China stands ready to dominate.

“Job-eating” AI

In March 2016, more than 280 million Chinese viewers watched a computer play the ancient Chinese game Go and defeat Korean Go master Lee Sedol. Google infused the winner, AlphaGo, with AI.