Web Summit Participants Skeptical of Scale AI CEO’s Call for U.S. Dominance in the AI Landscape
Last month, Alexandr Wang, the CEO of Scale AI, made headlines when he took out a full-page ad in The Washington Post. In this ad, he urged President Trump, saying that “America must win the AI war.” This bold statement led to a mixed response from the public, which was evident during Wang’s appearance on the opening night of Web Summit Qatar. When Felix Salmon from Axios asked the audience if they agreed with Wang’s perspective, only two people raised their hands. However, when he asked how many disagreed, a large number of hands shot up.
Feeling the pressure from the audience’s reaction, Salmon prompted Wang to explain his viewpoint. Wang stated that artificial intelligence (AI) is set to revolutionize national security. He grew up in Los Alamos, New Mexico, a significant location in the history of the atomic bomb, and both of his parents were physicists at the national laboratory. Given this background, he views the development of AI as a competition between the United States and China. Wang expresses worry that advancements in AI could allow China to surpass Western military capabilities, which is why he made a bold statement in that advertisement.
Wang’s comments reflect a growing sentiment among defense technology startups and venture capitalists (VCs), who are calling for greater autonomy in AI weapons. They fear a scenario where China could deploy fully autonomous AI weapons while the U.S. is held back by the need for human oversight before actions are taken. Wang points out that this race in AI technology isn’t just about weapons; it’s also about foundational AI models. He sees it as a two-horse race primarily between the U.S. and China, without acknowledging other competitors like France’s Mistral. He argues that American AI models incorporate principles of free speech, whereas Chinese models tend to reflect the viewpoints of a communist society.
Research indicates that many well-known Chinese AI models are indeed influenced by government censorship, which raises concerns about privacy and data security related to these systems. Wang’s statements about the potential risks of government influence on AI seem especially relevant, particularly as he announced during his talk that Scale would be collaborating with the Qatari government. This partnership involves helping Qatar develop 50 AI-driven applications aimed at improving areas such as education and healthcare.
Scale AI is recognized for its unique business model that employs many contract workers, often from outside the U.S., to manually assist in training AI models. The company collaborates with major players like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Meta, and also provides additional products, including an AI data engine and applications tailored for the defense sector.
Wang’s focus on American interests likely aids Scale AI in securing contracts with the Department of Defense (DoD). However, his discussion at the Web Summit also highlighted a growing unease among many people regarding the United States becoming a superpower in AI as well. This is a complex issue that reflects wider concerns about the role of technology in shaping our future, especially in areas as critical as national security and governance.
