China produces most elite AI researchers, but US attracts 72% of them: report

Artificial intelligence (AI) competition between the United States and China is often discussed in terms of chips, computing power, and models. A new report, however, argues that talent remains the foundation of AI leadership.

According to the latest Global AI Talent Tracker by MacroPolo, China is now the largest source of elite AI researchers worldwide, surpassing the United States in the education and training of top-tier talent. The report states that 38% of the world's elite AI researchers were educated in China. However, it also notes that 72% of these China-educated researchers currently work in the United States.

This trend highlights a paradox at the heart of the US-China AI rivalry: while China produces more top researchers, the US remains their preferred destination. 'It has always been about talent—the chip race and the model race are downstream of that,' said Kelly Forbes, a global AI policy advisor, commenting on the report.

Forbes pointed out that the US lead in AI is not solely a result of American innovation. 'It's a story of American institutions being extraordinarily good at attracting the world's best minds,' she told indianexpress.com.

The report's findings come at a time when both countries are investing heavily in AI infrastructure and semiconductor capabilities. While policy debates often focus on export controls and chip restrictions, Forbes argued that immigration and talent mobility are equally important. When asked about the impact of tighter US immigration rules, she said the US AI ecosystem is 'extremely vulnerable' to such changes. 'Any significant tightening of visa policy or student exchange programmes doesn't just affect individuals, it degrades US AI capacity directly,' Forbes added.

The data shows that international students and researchers, particularly from China and India, have been crucial to sustaining US leadership in AI. Leading US universities and institutions have attracted a concentration of expertise that has driven many AI breakthroughs.

Despite China's success in producing elite researchers, retaining them remains a challenge. According to MacroPolo, only 11% of China's top AI researchers currently work in the country, down from 16% in 2019. 'The retention number tells you that despite enormous domestic investment, China hasn't cracked this yet,' Forbes said. However, she cautioned against assuming the trend will continue indefinitely, as geopolitical shifts and policy changes could alter the flow of talent.