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The recent emergence of DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup, sent shockwaves through the global technological landscape.
The company launched its advanced AI model at a fraction of the cost incurred by American tech giants such as OpenAI and Microsoft. This has challenged existing dynamics of technological supremacy and underscored the rise of techno-nationalism.
The response of the American government to this and other Chinese technologies offers an insight into the evolving interplay between technology, geopolitics and national policy. An interplay that, in essence, reflects the growing role of techno-nationalism in global politics.
Over the past decade, there has been a significant shift in the global perception and reception of foreign technologies which have leaned towards a techno-nationalist lens.
Essentially, techno-nationalism — the belief that technological innovation is intrinsically tied to a state’s national security, economic strength and geopolitical power — has increasingly shaped global policy.
Those who subscribe to this point of view use technology to advance the state’s agenda and leverage these technologies for geopolitical gain. It is in this light that the Trump administration 2.0 has used a techno-nationalist view in their policy and rhetoric, especially against China.
Trump’s first stint at the presidency saw an increased view of foreign technologies and AI through a security-first lens.
This was initially outlined in the Executive Order on Maintaining American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence of 2019, a formal declaration that the US viewed AI, not just as an economic asset, but as a national interest of strategic importance. This order focused on prioritising the funding of AI research and development, restricting Chinese AI firms and protecting AI talent. AI was no longer just about innovation — it was about hegemony.
More recently, Trump’s White House has made its stance on AI clear, especially with regard to China. Responding to a question on suspicions about the origins of Chinese company DeepSeek and the implications for US chip manufacturing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt answered that “President Trump believes in restoring American AI dominance …” A perspective that is the hallmark of techno-nationalist thinking.
The more interesting conversation on the AI race between the US and China is there seems to be no clear finish line. Unlike the nuclear arms race or race to the moon, which both had reasonably explicit goals, AI development lacks a definitive endpoint.
It is not about a single breakthrough moment, like the launch of ChatGPT or the rise of DeepSeek, but rather an ongoing battle to set standards, drive key innovations and shape the rules of the digital future. In this way, the AI race is not characterised by who “wins” but about who gets to set these standards, drive innovation and influence our digital future.
However, nowhere was Trump’s techno-nationalist view more glaring than in his crusade against TikTok. Before the sudden public walking back on the banning of the app, Trump was the one who initiated the move to ban the app or force divestiture to an American firm, under the guise of national security.
This was motivated by the hypothetical and yet-to-be-proved claim that the owner of TikTok, Chinese firm ByteDance, could be sharing user data with the Chinese government.
Concerns over data privacy and foreign surveillance are valid, however, the administration has yet to publicly provide concrete evidence that supports the possibility of TikTok handing over Americans’ personal information to the Chinese Communist Party.
The ban instead seems to be a strategic protectionist move which seeks to curb China’s emerging dominance of the global digital world.
The implications for broader society go beyond the geopolitical chess game that is played in the public arena. The restriction of international collaboration comes at the risk of slowing down development and innovation in AI and other emerging technologies.
Much like the vast, open and idea-sharing nature of the internet, innovation of these forms of technology have relied on the global exchange of ideas, resources and talent. Without this interchanging of perspectives, views and ideas, progress could be stifled, costs increased for consumers and competition created as opposed to cooperation.
In the longer term, businesses will be affected by having to navigate increased regulatory hurdles, trade restrictions (such as the recent tariffs instituted by the Trump administration) and government scrutiny.
A more fragmented international order, especially in the tech sector, will negatively impact global supply chains, which will ultimately be felt by consumers and those businesses worldwide. The US and China are feeling the pressure in the semiconductor chip supply chain, with decoupling being the order of the day.
As Washington prepares for another rendition of its digital tug-of-war with Beijing, policymakers and those close to the US president need to decide whether a win in the AI race means elevating American tech or restricting China’s capability. Or both?
If there is to be a light at the end of this heated tech race guided by techno-nationalism, the US, as a global leader, ought to strike a balance between international cooperation and national security. A future built on fear and isolation is not a future worth pursuing.
Orefile Babeile is a master’s student of international relations at the North West University.