artificial intelligence
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The Wet Foundations of the Digital Age
The global race for artificial intelligence is usually framed as a battle over chips, code, and national security. But behind the scenes, the AI economy runs on something far more basic: water. From cooling data centers to manufacturing semiconductors, modern computing depends on enormous and growing volumes of freshwater. As…
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China’s Semiconductor Investment Defies Economics—But Makes Perfect Strategic Sense
In 2024, China launched the third instalment of its National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, a $48 billion investment vehicle to turbocharge the nation’s semiconductor industry, even as it continues to lag behind industry leaders. The country has decided to double down on what appears to be an economically irrational…
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How China’s AI Development Remains Resilient Despite Escalating US Chip Export Restrictions
The US is intensifying its restrictions on China’s access to advanced semiconductors, exemplified by the recent ban on chips like Nvidia’s H20, marking a significant escalation in a sustained campaign to curb China’s AI and semiconductor advancements. While these export controls impede China’s technological progress, they are unlikely to halt…
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Semiconductors, Trump’s Tariffs and the US-China Rivalry: A Conversation with Ray Wang
Jonathan Chin, SSI Editor-in-Chief, and, Andy Liao, SSI Science & Technology Lead, speaks to Ray Wang, a Washington‑based analyst focused on U.S.‑China economic and technological statecraft, with a focus on semiconductors and artificial intelligence. Ray’s insights have been featured in Foreign Policy, CSIS, The Diplomat and he is frequently quoted…
Sino-Southeast Initiative 