Power, hardware and skills: Strategic imperatives in the US-China AI race

The United States and China are engaged in an intensifying technological competition, with artificial intelligence emerging as a critical battleground. Recent developments, including the emergence of DeepSeek and TikTok controversies, have highlighted the need for strategic technology policies to maintain U.S. technological leadership.

Core infrastructure challenges: America’s aging power infrastructure and limited domestic hardware production capabilities are creating bottlenecks that could impede technological advancement.

• The U.S. power grid is significantly outdated, with over 70% of transmission lines exceeding 25 years of age
• Grid congestion issues are already hampering technological progress, while the growing demands of AI systems threaten to further strain the system
• Current operating conditions show the grid running at maximum capacity, raising concerns about its ability to support future technological innovation

Hardware manufacturing imperatives: Domestic production of critical infrastructure components has become a strategic necessity for maintaining technological independence.

• Sourcing of essential components, particularly power grid transformers, faces significant challenges
• Success depends on securing raw materials, mobilizing capital for manufacturing expansion, and developing robust local supply chains
• Public-private collaboration will be crucial for fostering domestic hardware production capabilities

Workforce development needs: The United States faces a significant skills gap in engineering and project management expertise compared to China’s growing infrastructure capabilities.

• Major infrastructure projects in the U.S. have experienced substantial delays and cost overruns due to workforce limitations
• China has built considerable expertise through the execution of complex global infrastructure projects
• Developing a skilled labor force is essential for executing large-scale infrastructure modernization efforts

Strategic coordination requirements: Strategic leadership from the federal government is vital for orchestrating the necessary improvements across power infrastructure, hardware manufacturing, and workforce development.

• Stakeholder coordination across public and private sectors must be enhanced
• A comprehensive approach integrating power grid enhancement, hardware innovation, and infrastructure expertise is needed
• Sustained, long-term commitment will be required to achieve meaningful progress

Future implications: The success of U.S. technological competitiveness will largely depend on its ability to address these fundamental infrastructure and capability gaps in the coming years, as China continues to advance its own technological capabilities and infrastructure expertise.