The AI race: US and China defence sectors emerge as key battlegrounds

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by Lucy QuagginFebruary 4, 2026 at 05:00 PM

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US President Donald Trump has proposed increasing the country's defence budget to $1.5 trillion by 2027, citing "very troubled and dangerous times". The move is largely driven by growing concern about China's advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). As both countries compete to develop AI technology for military use, the US and China are vying to integrate AI into their militaries first. Analysts believe that regardless of the budget increase, more funding will be allocated to companies developing AI-related technologies. This development is part of a broader shift in military doctrine, following Ukraine's unexpected strong defence against Russia's invasion and its innovative use of new technologies. The US and China are racing to develop AI capabilities for military applications.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Georgetown University 40% Russia 50% Samuel Bresnick 50% Centre for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) 60% Pentagon 60% DeepSeek 60% Ukraine 60% Donald Trump ×280% United States ×390% China ×390%

Keywords

ai race 90% artificial intelligence 80% defence sector 80% china 70% military spending 70% united states 70% military technology 60% ai advancements 60% military doctrine 50% deepseek 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.30

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South China Morning Post

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90%

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