China is leading the global initiative to advance artificial intelligence, according to a new report from Digital Science, a London-based research technology company.
The study, “DeepSeek and the New Geopolitics of AI: China’s Ascent to Research Preeminence in AI,” disclosed that AI research initiatives in the East Asian nation have significantly grown, contributing to similar efforts in the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union. According to the report, China commands over 40 percent of global citation attention and dominates in AI-related patents worldwide.
Other key findings include the United States having the strongest AI startup landscape after China.
Daniel Hook, the study author and Digital Science CEO, shared that the release of DeepSeek in early 2025 demonstrated the country’s technological independence and innovation at a time when Washington has imposed restrictions on importing essential chipsets.
“AI is no longer neutral. Governments are using it as a strategic asset, akin to energy or military capability,” he said. “Governments need to understand the local, national and geostrategic implications of AI, with the underlying concern that lack of AI capability or capacity could be damaging from economic, political, social and military perspectives.”