China and the U.S. AI Race: Convergence by Competition

Abstract

This thesis is a comparative analysis of artificial intelligence (AI) governance in China and the United States (U.S.), investigating the underlying worldviews that shape how AI is regulated, developed, and deployed in each country. Uncovering trends in government regulation, this paper reveals similarities and differences in visions for the future of AI development in the two countries, indicating areas of potential convergence and value alignment. The paper problematizes the prevailing binary of China as a state-centric digital regulator and the U.S. as a laissez faire government, demonstrating how the U.S. government is increasingly mirroring China’s protectionist state intervention approach. Using statistical and textual analysis of government regulations, court cases, corporate reports, scientific papers, and intellectual discourse, this thesis reveals dominant collective ideals for the development of AI in the two countries and how these ideals shape the development of technology. This thesis analyzes and compares dominant perspectives in the two countries to foster constructive dialogue and develop strategies to address the ethical considerations posed by the potentially harmful use of AI systems.