President James Monroe’s 1823 Monroe Doctrine established the Western Hemisphere as America’s sphere of influence, relying on British naval support to secure its position as a global superpower. Today, the U.S. faces a similar inflection point in the AI era, with computing power and technological dominance at the core of the competition. Unlike traditional territorial control, the stakes involve hardware, data centers, and global AI ecosystems. The article warns of the risks of China’s rising influence, particularly after U.S. export controls have inadvertently damaged American tech companies like NVIDIA by limiting their market share in China. The vacuum left has allowed China to advance its AI ecosystem, including rare earth mining, chip design, and infrastructure. The U.S. must act to ensure its technological supremacy by saturating the global market with American chips, fostering hemispheric cooperation, and forming strategic alliances in the Indo-Pacific.
While the U.S. seeks to maintain dominance, the article highlights the importance of nearshoring and industrial strategy, particularly in data center infrastructure and semiconductor manufacturing. Partners like Mexico, South Korea, and Taiwan are positioned as key fronts in the U.S.-China tech rivalry, with their fabrication facilities shaping the future of AI. The solution, according to the piece, requires a reassessment of export controls and tariffs, emphasizing the need for open markets rather than protectionist measures. The ultimate goal is to establish the United States as the default AI stack, ensuring its influence and leadership for a generation, while countering China’s ambitions through strategic partnerships and technological superiority.