The two big tech powers are well ahead of the competition. The question now is whether a third big player can emerge
3-MIN READ3-MIN1 ListenCao Jiaxuanin BeijingPublished: 9:00pm, 11 Aug 2026As the United States and China consolidate their dominance in artificial intelligence, attention is turning to whether Europe can carve out a distinct third pole – a “G3” – or remain in Washington’s technological orbit.
According to the 2026 Global AI Innovation Index, produced by China’s Institute of Scientific and Technical Information and Peking University, the US and China remain far ahead of other countries.
The index, which used a range of criteria to assess 46 countries’ AI innovation and development, put the US well ahead with 78.44 points, with China closing the gap on 60.49. The third-placed country, Britain, was over 20 points behind on 39.99 with Germany and France in sixth and seventh place.
Stanford’s 2026 AI Index Report also put the US ahead, producing 59 notable AI models last year, compared with China’s 35 and two from Europe.
