As Xi Jinping visits President Trump in Washington, the U.S.-China A.I. race takes center stage, with both sides viewing it as decisive for military, technological, and economic supremacy. Western experts estimate the United States is about six months ahead of China in leading A.I. models, but this figure masks a complex relationship. Expectations for a serious accord remain low amid deep mutual suspicion.

The United States holds a clear edge in computer chips, with most specialized A.I. chips designed by American companies like Nvidia, now the world’s most valuable firm. Over the past decade, three U.S. administrations have imposed export controls limiting Chinese access to powerful chips. Chinese researchers cite chip shortages as their biggest obstacle, though leading companies have spent hundreds of millions to secure chips, often via remote access to overseas data centers.

China has narrowed the performance gap over the past year, but its domestic chip industry, led by Huawei, admits it is still years away from matching Nvidia's current capabilities. Chinese firms use Huawei chips, but these are less powerful and unlikely to support cutting-edge technologies.

While the U.S. leads in chips, China holds advantages elsewhere, including in A.I. applications and data. The summit may not yield major agreements, but the global focus on A.I. safety risks remains intense.