Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) models are rapidly narrowing the technological gap with their U.S. counterparts. As companies like DeepSeek make significant strides, the U.S. AI technology advantage has reached its lowest level in history.
According to Bloomberg Intelligence, the performance gap between major Chinese AI models and U.S. competitors has shrunk to 3% since DeepSeek launched its latest model, 'V4.1 Flash,' last month. This gap was approximately 9% in May and 15% earlier this year.
The V4.1 Flash achieved a sixth-place ranking on the AI model performance evaluation site 'LiveBench' last month, marking the highest position for a Chinese AI model. LiveBench assesses AI models based on their ability to analyze and respond to questions, puzzles, and various tasks, similar to measuring human intelligence quotient (IQ).
DeepSeek scored 81.1 points, closely approaching the top score of 83.4 points from Anthropic. Robert Lee, a senior analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, noted that DeepSeek demonstrates performance levels comparable to leading AI models like Anthropic and OpenAI.
China's rapid improvement in AI competitiveness is attributed to the accumulation of technological expertise and the optimization of AI models for domestic hardware. Previously, Chinese AI firms expanded their market presence by offering lower prices than U.S. models. Now, they are quickly closing the technology gap by combining cost-effectiveness with enhanced performance. Lee stated, 'China's advancements raise further questions about the long-term sustainability of U.S. AI technological dominance.'
In response, the U.S. has intensified regulatory scrutiny over allegations of distillation involving Chinese AI models, with discussions of potential bans on these technologies. The U.S. has previously sought to curb China's AI advancements through export controls on semiconductor technology.
Recently, the U.S. government has taken direct action to maintain its AI leadership. According to Reuters, President Donald Trump announced the establishment of the 'Super Intelligence Force' (SIF) on October 4, led by Jay Clayton, the Director of the National Intelligence.
The SIF will coordinate federal responses to ensure the U.S. remains at the forefront of AI development. It will include senior officials from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Defense, reporting directly to President Trump and the White House Chief of Staff. Director Clayton stated that the task force is expected to deliver a report within 120 days assessing the risks and opportunities posed by AI and recommending the federal government's role.
On the same day, President Trump wrote on social media platform Truth Social that the SIF's goal is 'to ensure that the U.S. continues to lead the world in superintelligence,' emphasizing the importance of protecting the interests of all Americans and improving their lives.
Trump has previously expressed concerns that excessive regulations could weaken U.S. competitiveness in the AI race against China. On September 29, he indicated a reluctance to collaborate with Chinese President Xi Jinping on AI technology regulation issues.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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