Date of Award

Spring 5-18-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Policy (MPP)

First Advisor

Ted Wittenstein

Subject Area(s)

Asian studies, Information technology, International relations, Management, Political Science, Public policy

Abstract

In the rising global strategic competition between China and the United States, artificial intelligence (AI) has taken on a special significance given its potentially transformative impact upon economics and security. Yet while the dialogue around the “AI race” is typically centered on foundational model capability enhancement, application in security contexts, and chip design and manufacturing, there is much less attention paid to its impact on geopolitics. In particular, AI diplomacy—the work of a state to spread its model of AI governance, evangelize its AI companies, and develop critical AI interdependencies and linkages around the world—is far less studied. Nowhere is this dynamic more visible than in Southeast Asia, an important arena both of U.S.-China competition and future AI development and diffusion. This thesis attempts to understand the Chinese AI diplomacy strategy in Southeast Asia. Through a comprehensive review of Chinese policy documents, news releases, and related open-source intelligence, analysis reveals that America is falling behind in the AI diplomacy race while China makes significant inroads. Despite this, the United States’ private sector, business-first approach retains durable advantages that make it difficult to dislodge as a marquee AI power. Findings suggest that to catch up in the AI diplomacy race, the U.S. should institute high-profile diplomatic initiatives across the region.

Download
Open Access

This Article is Open Access

Share

COinS