How can AI Shift the Balance of Power Between China and the US in the Military Context?

Abstract: This research paper investigated how AI can shift the balance of power between China and the U.S. in the military domain by comparing the respective countries' power through Waltz’s five capabilities from two points in time to identify how the power dynamics have shifted in the last two decades. Neorealism and realist hegemonic stability theory were applied to explain why China might be challenging the U.S.'s role as the number one superpower and how this can be achieved as the country aims for AI domination by 2030. Based on the results, China has had surprising growth over the past two decades which indicates that the country is aiming for hegemony in the AI domain as it has the capacity and capability to shift the balance of power in the military domain. However, different attempts from the U.S. and its allies to halt China’s rise in tech have led to tension in the international system. Therefore, how AI technology can be used to shift the balance of power depends entirely on how China deals with these attempts and if it can keep up with its development in the field.