Bloomberg Says China Can Lead AI by 2030, But Chip Gap and Trade Restrictions Hinder Progress

According to Bloomberg Intelligence, China is well positioned to lead global AI model development by 2030 due to its strength in software optimization and low deployment costs, though U.S. models may retain a narrow edge at the frontier. However, China's chipmakers are expected to reach only competitive status by 2030, with U.S. export controls and trade restrictions creating a significant gap. Beyond AI, Bloomberg Economics projects China will lead eight of 17 strategic technologies by 2030, but this lead is not expected to rescue the country from an economic slowdown.