Graduates of Chinese universities drive AI research in U.S.

They constitute 38% of top experts in America, outnumbering homegrown talent

Some industry experts are concerned that China may recall its students and researchers from the U.S. to bolster its AI sector. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by AP)

RYOKO SHIMONOYA, DAI KUWAMURA and TATSUYA OZAKI

February 16, 2025 13:00 JST

TOKYO -- Graduates from Chinese universities are playing a key role in helping the U.S. sustain its dominance of artificial intelligence even as the two nations jostle in the booming sector, according to a prominent American think tank.

The Chicago-based Paulson Institute's MacroPolo think tank found that nearly 40% of top AI researchers at U.S. companies and research institutes earned their undergraduate degrees from Chinese universities, surpassing the number of graduates from U.S. institutions.