US Tells Allies to Pick Sides in Global AI Power Struggle

The United States is set to inform dozens of countries that they must choose between joining a US-led artificial intelligence (AI) coalition or Beijing's competing framework, according to a draft letter reviewed by Reuters.

The move comes as the global AI race reaches a pivotal moment, with Chinese open-weight AI models making rapid gains against proprietary systems from US companies like OpenAI and Anthropic. The exponential growth of AI capabilities has forced a global reckoning over its power.

The draft letter is addressed to 35 countries that have signed the US 'AI Opportunity Statement' in June, including close allies such as Japan, Australia, and South Korea. The statement aims to push partners towards joint projects and export controls, reducing reliance on adversaries for critical minerals, AI models, and semiconductor chips.

Kazakhstan is a key player in this scenario, having joined both the US-led Pax Silica initiative and China's competing framework. The US has touted Kazakhstan as a major source of critical minerals, but its decision to join both initiatives has raised alarm bells in Washington.