The Geopolitics of AI in the Asia-Pacific
In an interview with The Diplomat, Jouko Ahvenainen says AI is increasingly connecting technology policy, national security, industrial policy, and geopolitics, and that this is especially visible in the Asia-Pacific. He argues the region should not be seen only through a China-U.S. lens, pointing to Taiwan's semiconductor manufacturing, South Korea and Japan's positions in semiconductors and industrial technology, India's AI capabilities, and Singapore and ASEAN approaches to AI infrastructure, governance, and investment. He adds that China combines technology development with hardware manufacturing, industrial scale, and rapid deployment, and that AI is becoming a strategic capability and source of geopolitical power rather than simply a weapon.
Why it matters: The interview links AI to geopolitics, technology policy, national security, industrial policy, and supply chains, showing how Asia-Pacific technology competition shapes geoeconomic dependencies.