Deepseek and the New Geopolitics of AI

<p dir="ltr">Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a peripheral concern—it is a central force reshaping societies, economies, and global dynamics. As AI permeates every facet of life, from workplace automation and healthcare to surveillance and personal freedoms, its potential to yield both transformative benefits and significant harms hinges on how access to its development and knowledge is distributed. This report examines the current global research landscape of AI, focusing on four pivotal regions: China, the EU-27, the UK, and the US. Through comparative analysis, we identify key trends and geopolitical shifts, including the growing strategic importance of AI, the US's declining dominance in favour of China’s rapid ascent, and the pivotal role of international research collaboration. Notably, China emerges as the world’s central AI collaborator with a deepening talent pool and expanding research output. The UK, while smaller in scale, punches above its weight in terms of impact, while the EU-27 exhibits strong internal collaboration but limited external engagement. Our findings underscore that the trajectory of AI development—and its societal consequences—will be shaped not just by technological breakthroughs but by global patterns of collaboration, competition, and knowledge governance.</p>