The US Factor in Chinese Perceptions of Militarized AI

Zeng, Jinghan (2025) The US Factor in Chinese Perceptions of Militarized AI. International Affairs, 101 (2). pp. 677-689. ISSN 0020-5850

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Abstract

Leading military forces around the world have expressed enormous interest in artificial intelligence (AI) due to its military potential. This policy paper examines Chinese perceptions of the military use of AI by studying Chinese-language scholarly materials. A key finding is that, while the Chinese strategic community has explored the military use of AI across various countries, the United States plays a central and unique role in shaping Chinese perceptions of militarized AI. The US serves as a global near-competitor, providing a benchmark for China to measure its own development and competitiveness. In addition, the US acts as a role model for the Chinese military to emulate in terms of its ideas, policies and practices. Consequently, American success in AI has become a primary source of anxiety among the Chinese strategic community, prompting self-reflection and accelerating the development of ambitious Chinese AI plans. Contrary to the popular narrative in Washington that China has already surpassed the US in the global AI race, Chinese discussions reveal considerable admiration for American AI leadership, with a focus on catching up rather than overtaking the US. This paper suggests that both the US and China need to play their parts in mitigating the risks of a global AI race.