AI development follows the game theory of the nuclear arms race. If the U.S. slows down, it risks creating an asymmetric power dynamic where another nation like China could dominate. The goal is not to stop, but to achieve a global balance of power to ensure stability.

The common Western argument that regulating AI is futile because "China will never slow down" is a misconception. China's government and research community actively engage with AI safety, even implementing policies that have slowed down their own companies in the name of safety.

The rush to regulate AI in the US, driven by panic, is strategically dangerous. Because AI development is a global race, if the US slows down with poorly designed rules while China accelerates, it effectively cedes the most important technological advantage of the century.

A significant portion of China's AI progress is "parasitic," relying on copying or reverse-engineering breakthroughs from leading US labs. Therefore, a unilateral US slowdown on R&D could be the most effective way to slow down Chinese AI development, contrary to the logic of a competitive race.

A US policy that slows down its own AI labs for safety is logically flawed and self-defeating unless it also effectively slows China's progress. Unilateral deceleration doesn't make the world safer; it simply cedes ground to a less safety-conscious competitor, increasing net risk.

Contrary to the argument that regulation stifles innovation, China has implemented extensive AI regulations over the past four years. During this same period, its AI technology has made significant inroads, challenging the notion that a laissez-faire approach is essential for competitiveness.

The US faces a paradox: restricting frontier AI models for domestic safety could push global customers and allies towards unregulated foreign alternatives, like China's. This effort to control AI risks forfeiting the long-term strategic advantage of having US technology become the global standard.

Contrary to fears that U.S. regulation creates a competitive disadvantage, China's track record, like crushing its AI companion sector over risk concerns, indicates Beijing will also implement strong AI safety rules. This creates potential for U.S.-China alignment on safety.

Self-imposed safety pauses and regulatory hurdles on US frontier models create a vacuum. Chinese open-weight models like GLM-5.2 are now as capable as the *currently available* US versions, eroding the American lead while its most advanced models are benched, effectively ceding ground in the global AI race.