China’s “AI+” plan and US’s $500 billion Stargate AI project

The Chinese Communist Party has launched a five‑year “AI+” initiative that places artificial‑intelligence technology at the core of public policy, aiming to address future employment, social‑psychological impacts and to monitor citizens’ emotional responses with algorithms. The plan follows China’s dominance in solar energy (80% of global production), battery manufacturing (85%) and high‑speed rail (70%).

In the United States, the classified “Stargate” program is slated to receive a $500 billion investment, positioning it as a direct competitor to China’s AI advancements. Recent AI applications include deciphering carbonised manuscripts from the 79 AD Vesuvius eruption and deploying autonomous taxis in Austin, highlighting both the benefits and labour‑displacement concerns raised by scholars such as Yuval Noah Harari.