Who is ahead in the global tech race?
TECHNOLOGICAL STRENGTH brings economic growth, geopolitical influence and military might. But tracking who leads in a given field, and by how much, is tricky. An index by researchers at Harvard, published on June 5th, attempts to measure such heft. It ranks 25 countries across five sectors: artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, biotechnology, space and quantum technology. America dominates the rankings, but other countries are closing in.
Of all the sectors, AI gets the most attention from politicians. J.D. Vance, America's vice-president, recently called its development an 'arms race". America commands a strong lead thanks to its early breakthroughs, its head start in building computing power and the dominance of firms such as OpenAI and Nvidia. But China's DeepSeek R1 rivals Western models at a fraction of the cost. China's loose attitudes towards data privacy, and its deep pools of talent in computer science and engineering, give it an edge. In 2023 Chinese researchers produced around 23% of all published papers on AI—more than Americans (9%) and Europeans (15%).
India, long tipped to be a world tech power, ranks tenth overall, and seventh for its development of AI. It has plenty of engineering talent and hundreds of millions of internet users. But weak investment and a scarcity of training data needed for large language models has slowed its progress. So far, India has yet to produce a major AI breakthrough.
The AI race runs on semiconductors, which carry the most weight in the index. America's lead here is narrower: it is ahead in chip design but East Asia remains the industrial centre of gravity. China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea each beat America in manufacturing capacity and access to specialised materials (see chart 1).
But a country can score highly on manufacturing without producing cutting-edge chips. China, for example, has no advanced-node facilities (factories capable of making the most complex chips) yet it ranks well thanks to the sheer scale of its lower-end chipmaking. The index also misses critical chokepoints in the global supply chain. ASML, based in the Netherlands (ranked 15th), is the sole maker of the world's most advanced chipmaking machines. Taiwan (8th) is home to TSMC, which churns out up to 90% of the most powerful transistors.
In other fields the top spot is more closely contested (see chart 2). America still leads in biotechnology because of its strengths in vaccine research and genetic engineering. But China is ahead in drug production, and has a larger cohort of biotech scientists. Over the past decade China has dramatically increased its biotechnology research capabilities. If this trend continues, China could soon pull ahead. Europe again underwhelms: its academic strengths have not translated into commercial success. Russia's highest score comes in the space sector, a legacy of the Soviet era, but it falls short everywhere else.
America's lead in critical technologies once felt unassailable. But the Trump administration risks undermining that position: by deterring top foreign talent and cutting research funding it will sap the flow of ideas that have sustained America's position at the top. (The Harvard researchers behind the index will be no strangers to Donald Trump's attack on universities.)
China's rise, meanwhile, has been swift and co-ordinated. Its AI push focuses on practical use over theoretical breakthroughs. The next phase of global power may be decided not just by who invents the most powerful tools, but by who puts them to work first.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
21 minutes ago
- Time of India
Not just co-founder's company, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg also wanted to buy another ex-OpenAI employee's AI startup
Meta CEO has reportedly explored acquiring several prominent artificial intelligence (AI) startups to accelerate the company's development in the field. According to recent reports, Meta held preliminary discussions to purchase Perplexity, led by CEO Aravind Srinivas, and Safe Superintelligence (SSI), the new venture from former co-founder Ilya Sutskever . Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It has also been claimed that Zuckerberg showed interest in buying Thinking Machines Lab , a startup founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati . Citing sources familiar with the matter, The Verge said that the talks did not advance to the formal offer stage due to disagreements over valuation and strategic alignment. Notably, Murati's AI startup has closed on a $ 2 billion investment at a $10 billion valuation. OpenAI CEO recently stated that Meta has aggressively tried to poach OpenAI employees, offering signing bonuses as high as $100 million along with substantial annual compensation packages. Speaking on the "Uncapped" podcast, Altman addressed the rivalry between the two companies. 'I've heard that Meta thinks of us as their biggest competitor,' he said. 'Their current AI efforts have not worked as well as they have hoped, and I respect being aggressive and continuing to try new things,' he added. Meta acquires ScaleAI, hires its CEO The canvassing efforts coincide with the formation of a new AI leadership team at Meta. Alexandr Wang, the former CEO of Scale, has been hired to lead the new division in a deal reportedly valued at over $14 billion. Wang officially joined Meta this week after his departure from Scale last week. Reporting to Wang, SSI co-founder Daniel Gross and former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman are poised to co-lead the Meta AI assistant project. Wang is currently meeting with Meta's senior leadership and actively recruiting for the new team, with an official announcement anticipated as early as next week. 5 Must-Have Gadgets for Your Next Beach Holiday to Stay Safe, Cool & Connected
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
Spying charges: Iran confirms arrest of German cyclist; foreign ministry yet to confirm
Iran on Saturday acknowledged for the first time that it had detained a German cyclist on allegations of spying, in what is likely an effort by Tehran to pressure Germany amid its war with Israel. The semiofficial Mehr news agency published footage of the unnamed man's arrest, though it did not specify when it took place. It said he was detained in Markazi province, where Iran's Arak heavy water reactor is located. German news agency dpa reported that the arrest happened last year, and that the man is currently being held in Tehran's Evin prison, known for housing Western nationals and political prisoners. The German foreign ministry declined to comment on Saturday. Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its offensive on Iranian nuclear infrastructure. Military officials confirmed a second wave of strikes on key facilities in Isfahan and western Iran, following an earlier round of airstrikes on 13 June. The Israeli army said it is now targeting Iranian military infrastructure in the southwest of the country. It was not immediately clear which sites were hit. Shortly after, Iranian state media reported loud blasts in two cities in the oil-rich province of Khuzestan. Air defences were activated in both areas. Fars news agency said a large column of smoke was seen rising above the port city of Mahshahr, while 'frightening explosions' were heard in the provincial capital, Ahvaz.
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
Federal judge blocks Trump's move to bar international students from Harvard in major US education ruling
US court halts Trump's visa crackdown on Harvard's international students A federal judge in Boston has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's latest attempt to prevent Harvard University from enrolling international students, marking a significant moment in the ongoing legal standoff between one of the world's most prestigious universities and the current US administration. The ruling, handed down by US District Judge Allison Burroughs, ensures that Harvard can continue to host its nearly 7,000 international students — about one-quarter of its total enrollment — while broader legal proceedings continue. The decision represents a critical win for the Ivy League school, which has been in legal conflict with the federal government over multiple policy decisions impacting academic freedom, international student mobility, and the university's operational autonomy. While the ruling does not offer a permanent solution, it reinforces Harvard's position against what it claims are politically motivated efforts by the Trump administration to penalize the institution. Court decision halts a second attempt by the administration The legal battle intensified after the Department of Homeland Security revoked Harvard's certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program in May. This would have forced thousands of students to either leave the country or transfer, severely disrupting their education. Harvard responded by suing the agency, alleging that the action was taken without proper procedure and in retaliation for the university's refusal to comply with the White House's demands on issues including campus protests, admissions, and hiring practices. Just weeks later, President Trump issued a new proclamation attempting to bypass the court's temporary block, again aiming to prevent foreign students from attending Harvard. Judge Burroughs intervened once more, temporarily blocking this second action as well, according to reporting by the Associated Press. Her latest ruling maintains that block, though she emphasized that the federal government still retains the authority to conduct normal reviews of international student programs. Impact on students and institutional reputation Harvard argued in court filings that the federal actions had created an atmosphere of 'profound fear, concern, and confusion' for international students, many of whom were left in limbo about their academic futures. As reported by the Associated Press, Maureen Martin, director of Harvard's immigration services, said that many students had considered transferring due to uncertainty over their visa status. The sanctions also harmed Harvard's global reputation, the university claimed, jeopardizing its ability to attract top talent. 'Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard,' the lawsuit stated, highlighting how crucial foreign scholars are to its academic mission. Broader political tensions continue This legal conflict is part of a broader dispute between Harvard and the Trump administration. As reported by the Associated Press, the government has already cut over $2.6 billion in research funding, canceled contracts, and even threatened the university's tax-exempt status. The administration demanded access to extensive records related to international students, claiming concerns about national security. While Trump said in a Truth Social post that negotiations with Harvard were ongoing and that the university had been acting 'appropriately,' Harvard has held firm, with President Alan Garber stating that the university would not abandon its 'core, legally-protected principles,' as quoted by the Associated Press. As the legal fight continues, Harvard says it is making contingency plans to support its international students, ensuring their education remains uninterrupted despite the political challenges. Is your child ready for the careers of tomorrow? Enroll now and take advantage of our early bird offer! Spaces are limited.
