Report: China Leading World in A.I., Biotech, Space Research

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) on Thursday launched a project called the Critical Technology Tracker, which collects and visualizes data representing worldwide progress on “crucial technology fields spanning defense, space, robotics, energy, the environment, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, advanced materials and key quantum technology areas.”

At the time of its inception, the Critical Technology Tracker included 44 such technologies, and China was the world leader in 37 of them.

“Western democracies are losing the global technological competition, including the race for scientific and research breakthroughs, and the ability to retain global talent—crucial ingredients that underpin the development and control of the world’s most important technologies, including those that don’t yet exist,” ASPI warned.

“Our research reveals that China has built the foundations to position itself as the world’s leading science and technology superpower, by establishing a sometimes stunning lead in high-impact research across the majority of critical and emerging technology domains,” the Institute said.