As technology advances at an exponential rate, it is becoming increasingly important to consider the ramifications of that technology in the geopolitical environment, and especially as it pertains to American national security. One of the most important categories of technological innovation that will likely disrupt the global balance of geopolitical power, especially along the US-China axis, is the advent and growing sophistication of artificial intelligence. In order to address the new and evolving national security challenges that will accompany this disruption, this paper seeks to define and explain the disparity in artificial intelligence capabilities between the United States and China. First, it will describe the contemporary situation regarding the AI capabilities of both China and the United States, as well the implications of those capabilities as they relate to American national security interests. Additionally, this paper will identify the major contributing factors that are driving and/or mitigating artificial intelligence development in each country. Moreover, this paper will explain the discrepancies found to exist between the two countries in terms of the discrepancies found between their contributing and mitigating factors. Lastly, this paper will discuss the possible implications of these findings for the national security of the United States
