Global AI Competition Intensifies: US-China Gap Narrows, South Korea Emerges as Key Player

Key Intelligence

• ■The performance gap between US and Chinese AI models has significantly narrowed, with some reports indicating near-parity or China 'effectively' closing the gap to as little as 2.7 points.
• ■South Korea leads globally in AI patents and ranks third worldwide in the development of key AI models.
• ■Concerns are rising over China's rapid AI deployment, its abundant data advantage, and potential security risks from its 'AI distillers'.
• ■Major tech companies like Microsoft, Meta, and Alibaba are at the forefront of foundation AI model customization and global deployment.
• ■Despite rapid advancements, public opinion on AI remains sharply divided, highlighting complex societal implications.