The US and China Are Collaborating More Closely on AI Than You Think (www.wired.com)

A recent WIRED analysis of over 5,000 AI research papers presented at the Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS) conference reveals that the US and China, often seen as rivals in the AI domain, have a notable level of collaboration. Specifically, 141 papers (about 3 percent) included contributions from both US and Chinese authors, demonstrating a consistent pattern of cooperation despite geopolitical tensions. The transformer architecture from Google and Meta’s Llama models were prominently featured in these joint efforts, illustrating how innovations transcend national boundaries. This collaboration signifies that the ecosystems of US and Chinese AI are increasingly interconnected, benefiting from shared knowledge and talent. Jeffrey Ding, a George Washington University professor, suggests that regardless of political sentiments, both countries gain from these partnerships. Moreover, with a substantial number of Chinese-born researchers studying in the US, lasting professional relationships further strengthen ties in AI research. This trend emphasizes the importance of international collaboration in advancing AI technologies, countering narratives that promote isolationist policies in response to competitive concerns.