Talent competition, not technology, is reshaping the US-China AI race
By
Lee Gim Siong
Summary
The US-China AI race is increasingly defined not by technology or computing power alone, but by the battle for top talent — researchers, engineers, and entrepreneurs. The article profiles Will Wang, a Chinese-born engineer who left Apple in Silicon Valley to return to China, eventually founding smart glasses startup Even Realities in 2023. His story illustrates a broader trend of Chinese tech talent returning home, driven by factors like geopolitical tensions, US visa restrictions, and China's growing tech ecosystem. The piece examines how this "reverse brain drain" is reshaping the competitive landscape between the two superpowers in artificial intelligence and advanced hardware.
Source
Key quotes
· 3 pulledWhen Will Wang left Apple in Silicon Valley in 2018, he was not chasing the next tech startup. He was looking for a place to build hardware.
Beyond chips, data and computing power, the battle between Beijing and Washington is increasingly being fought over the researchers, engineers and entrepreneurs shaping the technology's future.
After stints at Chinese consumer electronics companies including Anker Innovations and Oppo, he founded Shenzhen-based smart glasses startup Even Realities in 2023.
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