Between January 2024 and September 2026, eight major global economies unveiled or updated ambitious artificial intelligence strategies to establish their leadership in the global AI marketplace. They are not alone: more than 80 countries worldwide have enacted national AI roadmaps, signaling that AI is viewed as essential to national prosperity, security, and social well-being.
AI is changing the geopolitical landscape, and no political entity – no matter the size, access to resources, or level of adoption – can afford to stay on the sidelines. However, for many governments and economies, AI is not merely a defensive obligation but an avenue of influence: a government’s posture towards AI can change its standing and perception as a strategic, economic, and military power. These public blueprints can serve a variety of functions, including signaling strategic priorities to align private capital and domestic research, creating clear pathways for cross-border alliances and joint R&D, and shaping global regulatory guardrails before rival systems become the default.
Global powers like the U.S. and China leverage public-facing strategies to market and export their technology stacks, anchor international alliances, and lock in technological dominance. In contrast, smaller or middle powers can use these frameworks to punch well above their economic weight class. As a result, national AI statecraft has evolved from the exclusive domain of major powers into a foundational instrument for any state or entity seeking to navigate an evolving geopolitical landscape.
Published by the Special Competitive Studies Project. Co-publishers and external authors, where they exist, are credited in the byline above.