AI isn’t the future of our national security. It’s the present.

America and China are racing for technological supremacy, and the margin is razor thin. Today, tech supremacy is increasingly synonymous with artificial intelligence (AI) leadership. And China has an aggressive five-part plan to overcome what advantages America still has in AI.

For decades, America’s military edge was unquestioned. That era is over. China is closing the gap fast, and the nations that move decisively now will lock in advantages that compound over time. Those who hesitate will be left behind permanently. 

The good news: American innovation — particularly AI— is already delivering results for America’s national security, preventing supply-chain shortfalls, detecting cyberattacks in real time, and optimizing military logistics. Not as experiments, but as operational reality. The question is no longer whether these technologies work. It’s whether America will build the infrastructure and maintain the policies to stay ahead of an adversary running hard to catch us. 

Read more at Real Clear Defense