International AI Race

A growing number of countries are competing in the race to develop artificial intelligence (AI) by investing in local tech companies and resources. France, India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and others are betting on AI by boosting domestic development. The U.S. currently leads in this field, with the Trump administration in January 2025 announcing $100 billion in AI investment by three top tech firms through the Stargate project, though China is also making rapid advancements. At the same time, the U.S. government has expanded the domestic production of microchips and urged its allies to take actions restricting China’s access to this essential technology.

As AI-related technologies intensify energy and water demand, planners will become increasingly involved in ensuring equitable resource distribution and advocating for community interests. Additionally, planners can play a role in establishing partnerships with the private sector to support the application of AI tools in the planning and local government sectors. To learn more about the responsible use of AI in planning, read PAS Report 604, Planning With Artificial Intelligence, and the APA blog post “Planning Ethics and Generative AI.”