Andreessen Horowitz partner says US must win the AI race as China advances

- Anjney Midha stated, “We must win.” - Emphasized prioritizing AI development for growth and innovation [Unblock Media] “We must win.” Anjney Midha, a general partner at Silicon Valley VC firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), delivered an urgent message that the U.S. must not fall behind in the global AI race. Speaking at Semafor’s World Economy Summit, Midha urged U.S. tech companies to focus on growth and innovation rather than regulation, even amid rising concerns about AI misuse. “People around the world will use U.S. AI tools if they are the best. That’s why a billion people in India still use WhatsApp, which was built in Silicon Valley,” he said. His remarks followed the unexpected rise of China’s DeepSeek AI platform, which is challenging large U.S. language models despite limited resources. Marc Andreessen, co-founder of a16z, compared this to the 1957 Sputnik moment—when the Soviet satellite launch shocked the U.S. into accelerating its space program. For Midha, this is a wake-up call showing that speed matters more than hesitation. “If the West wants to slow itself down voluntarily, be our guest. But we will never slow down,” Midha said, referring to China’s AI developers. He also noted the broader geopolitical and cultural context, saying AI is not just transformative technology but also shapes global values and cultural norms. Every country, he argued, will want to run and control its own AI infrastructure—AI is the next frontier of sovereignty. “Every country wants to operate its own infrastructure to control AI,” he added. Midha’s statements reflect growing concerns among U.S. policymakers and industry leaders that China’s rapid AI advances could disrupt the current tech balance. As debates about safety and regulation continue, voices like Midha’s increasingly call for proactive innovation over cautious delays. His core message: The AI race isn’t just about building smarter models—it’s about shaping the rules for technologies that redefine economies, governance, and daily life.