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How China's underdog status in the AI arms race is fueling their approach

Pierre Lizet
/
iStock

Part 2 of the TED Radio Hour episode Who is really shaping the future of AI?

While big tech pours billions into the AGI race, China leans into open source models. NPR's John Ruwitch explains why this approach works in China's favor and what it means for the rest of the world.

About John Ruwitch

John Ruwitch is a tech correspondent with NPR's business desk. His reporting focuses on how the tech industry shapes our lives and society.

Ruwitch joined NPR in early 2020 after more than 19 years with Reuters in Asia, the last eight of which were in Shanghai. Ruwitch has also had postings in Hanoi, Hong Kong and Beijing, reporting on anti-corruption campaigns, elite Communist politics, labor disputes, human rights, currency devaluations, earthquakes, snowstorms, Olympic badminton and everything in between.

Ruwitch studied history at U.C. Santa Cruz and got a master's in Regional Studies East Asia from Harvard. He speaks Mandarin and Vietnamese.

This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by Katie Monteleone and James Delahoussaye and edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour. You can follow us on Facebook @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadioHour@npr.org.

Related NPR Links

All Things Considered: Why news organizations are suing AI companies, and what they hope to win

NPR Topic: U.S. vs. China: Inside a great power rivalry

The Story Behind the Story: From rapid development to trade wars: What's it like to cover China?

Copyright 2025 NPR

Manoush Zomorodi
Manoush Zomorodi is the host of TED Radio Hour. She is a journalist, podcaster and media entrepreneur, and her work reflects her passion for investigating how technology and business are transforming humanity.
Katie Monteleone
Katie Monteleone is a producer for TED Radio Hour. She started out as an intern for the show in January 2019. After her internship, Monteleone began producing for Life Kit before returning to the TED Radio Hour team in October 2019 as a full-time producer.
James Delahoussaye
[Copyright 2024 NPR]
Sanaz Meshkinpour
[Copyright 2024 NPR]