Language skills won’t be enough to stay ahead of China in the economic sectors that matter.
China will release its next five-year plan next month. These plans are important because China pours billions of dollars into, and otherwise gives favorable treatment to, the sectors targeted in these programs. The U.S. will need to use a whole new class of artificial-intelligence models—built for the world of science and math, not language and images—to stay competitive with China as it puts the pedal to the metal in critical sectors.
The need for new models is especially acute in defense and energy.
Computing risk and optimization in financial services is also critical to our economy.
China is intent on dominating key sectors of the global economy and has proved it can do so in areas such as critical materials. The laser focus in its new five-year plan puts the U.S. and its allies on notice that we will have to leapfrog with AI for the real world if the West is to edge out China.