U.S. plans Peace Corps-style "Tech Corps" to counter China's AI exports (restofworld.org)

The U.S. government has unveiled plans for a "Tech Corps" aimed at promoting American artificial intelligence in a bid to compete with China's expanding influence in the AI sector. Leveraging the framework of the Peace Corps, this initiative seeks to deploy volunteers with STEM backgrounds to developing countries, where they will work for one to two years on projects that enhance AI adoption across various sectors, including healthcare, education, and agriculture. The Tech Corps comes at a critical time, as Chinese models like Alibaba’s Qwen3 series and Minimax’s M2.5 are gaining traction globally due to their cost-effectiveness and adaptability, posing a significant challenge to U.S. technologies like OpenAI's GPT-5. The initiative highlights the increasing urgency for the U.S. to counteract the appeal of Chinese AI products which can be more accessible for users in the Global South. However, experts caution that simply sending volunteers may not be enough to overcome the economic realities faced by many potential users. This program is part of a broader U.S. strategy to export its AI technology stack and foster international collaborations, reinforcing its commitment to remain at the forefront of global AI development while addressing the geopolitical dynamics shaping the tech landscape.