It may sound far-fetched, but the future of global technology supremacy could hinge on a video game. Black Myth: Wukong, China’s latest blockbuster, isn’t just breaking gaming records – it could be driving a critical shift in the global balance of technological power. What seems like just another action-packed video game is, in reality, a vital component in Beijing’s larger strategy to challenge Western dominance in the tech industry. The game, released by Chinese company Game Science on Aug. 19, 2024, is based on the legendary 16th century Chinese novel “Journey to the West.” The novel tells the story of…
Author: Shaoyu Yuan, Dean's Fellow at the Division of Global Affairs, Rutgers University - Newark
In the competitive arena of global technology, China’s ambitions in artificial intelligence stand out – not just for their scale but for their distinct strategic approach. In 2017, the Chinese Communist Party declared its intent to surpass the United States to become the world leader in AI by 2030. This plan, however, is less about pioneering novel technologies and more about strategically adapting existing ones to serve state economic, political and social objectives. While both China and the United States are actively pursuing AI technologies, their approaches differ significantly. The U.S. has traditionally led in fundamental AI research and innovation,…