Carnegie China study finds China surpasses US in AI researchers
China has just pulled ahead of the US as the go-to spot for elite AI researchers, according to a new Carnegie China study.
In 2025, 41% of the world's top AI minds chose China, while only 34% picked the US a big switch from just a few years ago when America was in the lead.
Chinese salaries, graduate surge, experts warn
China's rise comes down to seriously competitive salaries from tech giants like DeepSeek and MoonShotAI.
Plus, more researchers are graduating from Chinese universities (57% in 2025 versus just 11% back in 2022), while only 13% finished undergraduate in the US
Experts say it's time for America to double down on its strengths: attracting global talent and fueling innovation with private capital.
As Lior Prosor, partner at AI venture fund Deep33, puts it, keeping that unique mix of talent and entrepreneurial spirit is key if the US wants to stay competitive in AI.