US, China, and Russia ramp up competition over AI weapons

In short: The United States, China, and Russia are accelerating a long-running race to build military systems powered by artificial intelligence.

What's going on

Countries are putting more AI into weapons and military planning, and many officials compare the moment to the early days of the nuclear arms race. The idea is that if one country gets far ahead, it could gain a major military and political advantage.

In the United States, the military is working with private tech companies and spreading AI across many programs. These include autonomous drones (aircraft that can fly and sometimes choose actions with less human control) and software that helps commanders sort through information and make decisions. The Biden administration has also restricted exports of advanced Nvidia chips to China, since these chips are a key ingredient for training and running powerful AI systems (like an engine part that is hard to replace).

China is taking a more state-directed approach. Its policy of “military-civil fusion” aims to share technology between civilian companies and the armed forces. China is also trying to reduce reliance on foreign technology, including by funding its own chip industry, with reports of nearly $70 billion in subsidies announced in late 2025. Chinese leaders have publicly acknowledged they are behind in some core AI technologies, even as China shows new systems such as the P60 autonomous combat vehicle revealed in early 2025.

Russia is also part of the competition. President Vladimir Putin has said whoever leads in AI will “rule the world,” pointing to how high the stakes are.

What to watch

Watch for tighter controls on chips and other critical parts, plus more testing of autonomous weapons. Also watch for talks on limits and safety rules, since faster deployment can increase the risk of accidents and miscalculation.

Source: NYTimes