Inside China’s push to become the world’s AI superpower

China’s President Xi returns to the White House on Thursday for the first time in over a decade. A priority for both leaders will be to discuss AI. The two countries are currently locked in a fierce competition for AI dominance, amid dire warnings from US tech executives in recent weeks that the speed of AI development needs to be slowed, as the risks to humanity are too great.

President Trump has rejected those calls for a slowdown or suggestions of regulation, in part because of his concerns that China will overtake the US in AI development.

In this episode we speak to the BBC’s China correspondent Laura Bicker who tells us what China’s AI revolution looks from inside the country. And we ask how this issue is changing the power dynamics between the US and China. Credit: Reuters/Tingshu Wang

Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Lucy Pawle

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Digital producer: Sam Gruet

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: A child speaks to a UBTech AI Wukong Robot for sale, during the 2026 World Robot Conference, in Beijing, China August 21, 2026.