United States Leverages Infrastructure to Maintain Global AI Dominance

The United States maintains global AI dominance by controlling the underlying physical and software infrastructure of the industry, rather than relying solely on individual models. This hegemony is anchored by the control of hyperscale data centers, cloud computing, and subsea fiber-optic cables, as well as the dominance of Nvidia, which controls approximately 85% of the global GPU market and provides the CUDA software layer essential for AI development.

This technological lead is reinforced through a commercial-military symbiosis. The United States Department of Defense has signed agreements with Nvidia and hyperscalers including Google, OpenAI, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and Oracle to deploy AI tools on classified military networks. OpenAI specifically signed binding contracts granting the Pentagon all lawful use of its technology for defense purposes. To support these capabilities, the Pentagon allocated over $54 billion for autonomous warfare and drone systems in its FY2027 budget.

To counter attempts by the Government of China to build a parallel infrastructure through its digital silk road, the U.S. employs export controls and data extraction laws such as the CLOUD Act. The U.S. further exerts leverage by maintaining control over the majority of the world's usable undersea cables, effectively limiting the reach of competing technological ecosystems.