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> I don't really understand the concept of a 'AI superower' at all. Superpower at what, warfare? Concentration of wealth as AI returns flow to only a handful of people?

Yes and yes?

> Have Americans and the Chinese pondered whether there is some higher goal to the development of AI or just competition for competition's sake?

If they develop AI driven warfare techniques and we don't, they'll beat us. We must close the AI gap! (fwiw this terrifies me)

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I'm not terrified at all. If you leave the word AI out of the discussion this has already been the case for the last 70 years. The US squarely has us beat in warfare techniques. Europe already has not been a superpower in a long time, and this hasn't been to the detriment of the European people.

This whole debate reminds me also of the Japanese developments in the 80s. Everybody thought we'd be lost as they jump into the next superhuman age, funnily enough also involving grandiose computing projects.

I have the feeling this happens every generation and that the only thing that changes is the location.

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