The US needs a better internet infrastructure network to beat China in the AI ​​race

The United States must win The global race for AI supremacy Against China. Our success depends on thriving innovation and robust investment—two integral pieces of our national war plan.

But a third element of victory cannot be overlooked: US urgency Better internet infrastructure. If we don’t increase our leverage in 21st century connectivity, we will lose the battle for global AI leadership.

At the moment, leaders in DC are debating the best approach to AI regulation. On the other side of the country, Silicon Valley is chasing the next breakthrough AI model. But while the US is doing both, Beijing is playing a different game.

The Chinese Communist Party understands that AI dominance depends on leveraging a national approach to building the infrastructure and connectivity necessary to develop and deploy advanced AI systems. (Getty Images)

The Chinese Communist Party It understands that AI dominance depends not only on data and algorithms, but also on leveraging a national approach to build the infrastructure and connectivity needed to develop and deploy advanced AI systems. It is building the internet infrastructure to leapfrog the US

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For example, China is challenging America’s long-standing leadership in Wi-Fi innovation by pushing its domestic standards internationally and undermining both US standards and technology.

Wi-Fi is important because it is Primary technology Consumers use it to access AI on their devices. The ability to move, process and distribute large amounts of data is the backbone of AI. Every generative AI query, self-driving vehicle, and factory robot depends on the speed of light and reliable connectivity. If China takes the lead on any kind of internet infrastructure, it will soon take the lead on AI as well.

The good news is that the American cable industry has made significant progress in building broadband networks that offer the scale to meet the moment, with 87% already offering gigabit speeds and even more powerful capacity on the horizon. Over the past two decades, $340 billion in private capital has been invested to build this powerful network, which will generate $568.7 billion in economic output in 2024 alone and support more than 1.3 million jobs nationwide.

China’s pernicious influence touches every aspect of our lives. We must all help to stop them

These infrastructure investments are important – but must be matched by government commitments, as part of a national strategy to extend US Internet leadership. Such a strategy is not only critical to the future use and reliability of AI; This will also increase the economic impact of such infrastructure. In California alone, cable infrastructure supports 209,000 jobs and drives $117 billion in state economic impact. Texas and Florida each have more than 100,000 ticks Cable related jobs.

National power looks like this: private capital promotes the public good. And with a national strategy for internet infrastructure, that good can be multiplied massively.

During a recent tech policy conversation, I spoke with House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Rep. With Brett Guthrie, he made the choice clear: “We’re not competing with Europe to regulate, we’re competing with China to innovate.” He is right. Europe’s overregulation has already pushed them out of the AI ​​race. The US is still in the race, and if we hope to win it, we must continue to innovate and expand our Internet infrastructure.

America must win the AI ​​race — and prepare for the worst

Now is the time to leverage America’s power by doubling Wi-Fi capacity. Broadband connectivity and infrastructure which makes them possible. Over the years, and thanks to far-sighted national policies, Wi-Fi has become the workhorse of the Internet, handling the majority of all Internet traffic and connecting our homes, offices, schools and factories.

It’s also a uniquely American success story – rooted in regulations that support permissionless innovation and freedom of access to the public airwaves. Imagine if Federal Government Expanding access to Wi-Fi made that story even more successful. China will not stand a chance in the AI ​​fight.

Winning the AI ​​race will require focus and urgency. As soon as possible, leaders in DC should create a national framework for broadband policy, replacing the current state-by-state regulatory minefield with the infrastructure America needs.

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We also need a sound national policy on unlicensed spectrum – the radio frequencies that underlie Wi-Fi – to ensure our country’s continued Wi-Fi leadership. And we must maintain federal incentives that spur private investment in Internet infrastructure to meet the big data demands of AI.

If we get these rights, the United States will not only compete in the AI ​​age—we will unquestionably lead it and leave China in the dust. The same networks that connect Americans today will secure our economic success, our technological leadership, and our national future tomorrow.

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