The new frontier in the US-China AI race: Talent

Close Top Stories Asia East Asia Singapore World Commentary CNA Explains Sustainability Business Sport Latest News Insider TODAY Big Read Up Close In Pixels Ground Up Voices Adulting Mental Health Matters Watch Live TV News Reports Documentaries & Shows TV Schedule Listen CNA938 Live Podcasts Radio Schedule Special Reports Singapore Parliament Mental Health Interactives Lifestyle Entertainment Women Wellness Living Style & Beauty Dining Travel Luxury Experiences Obsessions People Remarkable Living Sustainability Newsletters CNA Eyewitness Send us a news tip Events & Partnerships Branded Content Business Blueprint Health Matters The Asian Traveller Brand Studio Learning Minds Weather Edition: Singapore Indonesia Asia World Search Trending Topics CNA Explains China artificial intelligence Indonesia Malaysia podcasts Wellness Thailand Japan Follow CNA Follow our news Facebook X Youtube LinkedIn RSS Close Top Stories Asia East Asia Singapore World Commentary CNA Explains Sustainability Business Sport Latest News Insider TODAY Big Read Up Close In Pixels Ground Up Voices Adulting Mental Health Matters Watch Live TV News Reports Documentaries & Shows TV Schedule Listen CNA938 Live Podcasts Radio Schedule Special Reports Singapore Parliament Mental Health Interactives Lifestyle Entertainment Women Wellness Living Style & Beauty Dining Travel Luxury Experiences Obsessions People Remarkable Living Sustainability Newsletters CNA Eyewitness Send us a news tip Events & Partnerships Branded Content Business Blueprint Health Matters The Asian Traveller Brand Studio Learning Minds Weather Edition: Singapore Indonesia Asia World Search Trending Topics CNA Explains China artificial intelligence Indonesia Malaysia podcasts Wellness Thailand Japan Follow CNA Follow our news Facebook X Youtube LinkedIn RSS Recent Searches Trending Topics CNA Explains China artificial intelligence Indonesia Malaysia podcasts Wellness Thailand Japan Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement East Asia The new frontier in the US-China AI race: Talent Beyond chips, data and computing power, the battle between Beijing and Washington is increasingly being fought over the researchers, engineers and entrepreneurs shaping the technology's future. The flow of AI talent between China and the United States is evolving as both countries compete for leadership in a strategically important technology. (File Photo: Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Illustration) New: You can now listen to articles.

This audio is generated by an AI tool. Lee Gim Siong Lee Gim Siong 25 Jun 2026 11:36AM Bookmark Bookmark Share WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Set CNA as your preferred source on Google Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results. Read a summary of this article on FAST.

Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST BEIJING: When Will Wang left Apple in Silicon Valley in 2018, he was not chasing the next tech startup.

He was looking for a place to build hardware.A graduate of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and UC Berkeley, Wang worked on the Apple Watch team before returning to China.After stints at Chinese consumer electronics companies including Anker Innovations and Oppo, he founded Shenzhen-based smart glasses startup Even Realities in 2023.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less The reason, he said, was simple.“Silicon Valley doesn't really (reward) making hardware anymore,” Wang told CNA, adding that the industry’s focus had shifted to software, data - and now artificial intelligence.For Wang, China offered the engineers, supply chains and manufacturing ecosystems needed to build the next generation of AI hardware.

“If I wanted to (lead) in AI, I needed to be in Silicon Valley,” Wang said.“But if I want to innovate in hardware, I need to be located in the heart of hardware.” Will Wang, founder and chief executive of Even Realities, speaks during a presentation on the company’s smart glasses technology.

(Photo: Even Realities) Wang’s decision reflects a broader shift unfolding at the centre of the global AI race.For decades, talent moved freely between China and the United States - but today, that once-familiar talent flow is becoming increasingly complicated.As Beijing and Washington compete for AI leadership, talent is increasingly viewed as a strategic resource alongside advanced semiconductors, computing power and data.

Governments have been tightening scrutiny over technology transfers, investment and research collaboration, while companies on both sides are competing for a relatively small pool of elite engineers and scientists capable of pushing the frontiers of AI.The contest is no longer just about who builds the be