October 8, 2026
The technical conflict between the United States and China in the field of artificial intelligence has entered a new phase, going beyond the development of models and electronic chips to an intense race to attract talent and scientific researchers.
A New York Times report stated that China is intensifying its efforts to attract international researchers by offering visa facilities and attractive research grants, in conjunction with Washington tightening some conditions for bringing in specialized technological workers.
Despite these efforts, the United States still maintains its position as a major preferred destination for researchers. A study conducted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace showed that the rate of reverse migration shows a clear American superiority, as only one Chinese researcher returns to his country for every 30 Chinese researchers in the field of artificial intelligence who continue their work in the United States.
On the other hand, Chinese academic and research institutions are making remarkable progress in the volume of scientific production. The number of Chinese institutions on the list of the top 30 research publishers at the “NeurIPS” conference increased from only 6 institutions in 2022 to 12 institutions. Moreover, the percentage of Chinese researchers participating in authoring research papers at the same conference last year was 41%, compared to 34% for American researchers.
At the same time, Beijing is working on two parallel tracks: preparing a new generation of local researchers and attracting expatriate Chinese scientists working abroad, which opens the doors of competition with Washington wide open to transform from a battle over physical technology into a war of minds to develop the next generation of technologies.
