China narrows AI gap with US to near zero, Stanford report shows
A Stanford University report reveals that the gap between US and Chinese artificial intelligence has narrowed significantly, with China leading in overall research output and the US dominating top models and patents. China's AI research is catching up, with a rising share of highly cited papers and patents.
The gap between US and Chinese artificial intelligence has effectively closed, according to Stanford University's 2026 AI Index report. While the US leads in building top models and high-impact patents, China is ahead in overall research output. China accounted for 74.2% of all AI patents granted globally in 2024, and its share of citations reached 20.6%. The US still dominates investment, with private AI funding reaching $285.9 billion in 2025. China's focus is on scale, with strong activity across universities, companies, and state-backed programs. The US built 50 major AI models in 2025, compared to China's 30, keeping it ahead in cutting-edge systems.
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