China’s pursuit of military superiority in the 21st century is increasingly defined by its determined integration of artificial intelligence, a strategic focus that positions it as the United States’ primary competitor in this global race. According to analysts, this push is rooted in the highest levels of Chinese leadership, with President Xi Jinping viewing AI as the essential key to achieving global power status. This vision was formally set in motion with a 2017 national development plan targeting world-leading AI capabilities by 2030, followed by military strategies that explicitly prepare for the dawn of “intelligentized warfare.” The concept, as understood by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), represents a systemic effort to weave AI, robotics, and unmanned systems into the very fabric of military platforms and command decisions, fundamentally altering the nature of conflict.
Central to this transformation is an “AI Plus” strategy, which seeks to embed intelligent technologies across various military domains. In electronic warfare, AI is being developed to predict and counter enemy jamming tactics, potentially enabling the disruption of drones thousands of kilometers away without relying on vulnerable satellites—a crucial advantage during solar storms or intense electronic attacks. Furthermore, AI is reportedly used to simulate complex radio behaviors, a capability that could one day forge instantaneous communication links between disparate assets like drones and submarines. The PLA’s envisioned model is one of human-AI collaboration, where commanders set strategic intent and AI systems act as “digital staff officers,” coordinating and executing tasks in real-time across the battlefield, though with an emphasized retention of human oversight over lethal decisions.
Public demonstrations offer glimpses into this progressing agenda, though they provide an incomplete picture. The PLA has showcased swarms of autonomous drones capable of coordinated attacks designed to overwhelm enemy defenses, leveraging China’s formidable manufacturing base to produce such systems at scale. Similarly, there have been indications of AI-assisted decision-making systems to enhance naval stealth and even displays of robotic ground systems. However, experts like Sam Bresnick of Georgetown University caution that these displays occur in tightly controlled environments, making it difficult to assess their true operational viability or specific capabilities, such as whether drones can autonomously select targets. The true extent of China’s progress remains shrouded in secrecy, with much of its work on integrating AI into sensory, communication, and decision-making systems hidden from view.
Beyond flashy hardware, China’s AI ambitions permeate foundational military functions. Procurement notices indicate a strong interest in employing large language models, possibly including public AI systems like DeepSeek, to automate backend operations and provide decision support. The PLA is also exploring augmented and virtual reality, powered by AI, to enhance the training of its forces. This broad-based approach underscores a core strategic belief: that any future high-tech conflict, particularly with the U.S., will unfold with blistering speed, granting a decisive advantage to the side that can most swiftly and effectively process information, coordinate systems, and confuse the opponent through intelligent, overwhelming force.
Despite this momentum, significant gaps and challenges persist. A primary concern, noted by analysts like Frank O’Donnell of the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network, is a lack of real-world combat testing. The PLA has not been engaged in a major war since 1979, meaning its AI-enhanced concepts and weapons systems are validated primarily through simulations, which may not accurately reflect the chaos and friction of actual warfare. This inexperience stands in contrast to the recent operational history of its Western counterparts. Furthermore, China faces a critical hardware deficit in the form of advanced semiconductor chips and computing infrastructure, which are the bedrock of powerful AI. While Chinese tech giants are striving to develop solutions using domestic chips, a notable technical shortfall remains compared to industry leaders like the U.S.-based Nvidia.
In conclusion, China is undertaking a comprehensive, state-directed effort to become a world leader in military AI, driven by a clear-eyed view of its necessity for future dominance. Its progress in areas like drone swarms, electronic warfare, and command systems is evident and aligns with its national strategic goals. However, the journey is fraught with hurdles, from technological dependencies on foreign components to the unproven nature of its intelligent systems under true combat conditions. The world is watching a determined, yet still evolving, military power race to redefine warfare in the age of artificial intelligence, with the full measure of its success yet to be determined.
