Author(s) :

Adora Elizabeth Yin.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

The emergence of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI model, has disrupted global perceptions about technological dominance, marking a pivotal moment in the U.S.-China AI race. Framed through the historical analog of the 1957 Sputnik launch, this paper argues that both events represent technological shocks that reshape global power dynamics and strategy. It first examines the historical context of Sputnik and its geopolitical implications, before drawing parallels to DeepSeek’s impact on the AI race. DeepSeek’s efficiency-driven advancements challenge U.S. beliefs about the resourceintensive nature of AI innovation, while exposing vulnerabilities in America’s strategy centered on export controls, talent restrictions, and efforts to limit China’s global influence. The paper analyzes China’s state-driven approach to leveraging AI for economic stabilization, domestic confidence, and geopolitical reach, while underscoring its constraints in international trust and data governance. It then examines how the AI race accelerates a transition from unipolarity toward a fragmented, multipolar world order, emphasizing the importance of alliance trust and cooperation —areas strained by U.S. tariffs and semiconductor reshoring. Drawing on precedents such as Apollo–Soyuz, the paper argues that rising costs, domestic pressures, and shared AI risks may push rivals from zerosum competition toward managed coexistence. The likely equilibrium is an uneasy hybrid: inevitable short-term rivalry alongside guarded, rules-based cooperation on safety, standards, and global public goods to sustain long-term stability. Ultimately, the paper contends that the trajectory of global AI leadership will hinge not only on innovation but also on strategic collaboration, alliance cohesion, and effective governance mechanisms to address shared challenges.