National data centre projects are consolidating America's AI lead, according to the Financial Times. While the US and China dominate AI compute, investments, and foundation models, data centres remain multi-polar. Countries like the UAE, India, EU, Saudi Arabia, and Japan are building massive AI infrastructure.

The US consumed 45% of global data centre electricity in 2024, compared to China's 25% and Europe's 15%. Governments view these investments as strategic, with the UAE planning a five-gigawatt AI campus. However, hosting data centres doesn't ensure sovereign AI capability.

The US is leveraging its advanced chip dominance to secure geopolitical alignment, exemplified by the UAE's recent upgrade under US export rules. Companies like G42 and Core42 gained access to advanced equipment, but with conditions: provisional 270-day status, removal of Chinese equipment, and pressure to become US companies. This strategic bargain gives access to frontier compute in exchange for alignment.

While China has closed gaps in AI research and algorithms, it lags in hardware, particularly GPUs and the Nvidia-centred ecosystem. Brazil's dual partnerships with Huawei and Nvidia signal emerging competition.