Artificial Intelligence (AI) has undergone a rapid evolution, not only permeating every aspect of our lives, but also moving from theoretical concepts to key components of modern military strategy. In this event, focusing on the escalating AI arms race between the US and China, Dr. Gloria Shkurti Özdemir, author of “Artificial Intelligence ‘Arms Dynamics’: The Case Of The U.S. And China Rivalry”, Dr. Gloria Shkurti Özdemir will be our guest. Her study focuses on Barry Buzan's theoretical frameworks and analyses whether there is an AI arms race between the US and China as part of the ongoing great power competition.
His findings show that both countries perceive AI as an important element of future warfare and national security and have made significant investments in research and development. The US, which has historically enjoyed a dominant military-technological edge, seeks to maintain its superiority through innovation and strategic partnerships. In contrast, China's ambitious AI strategy aims to establish its leadership in AI technology by 2030, challenging US dominance and reshaping the global security environment. Dr Gloria Shkurti Özdemir reveals that rather than an AI arms race, which should have a high probability of war, the US-China rivalry is an ‘AI arms race’ in which both states do not want to start a direct war with each other, at least in the short term. It also reveals that the AI arms race between both states is driven by both external threats and internal motivations, but the technological imperative, considered as an independent variable, is the main driving force behind this rivalry. In conclusion, it argues that the AI arms race between the US and China is a defining feature of contemporary international security dynamics with profound implications for global stability.
