AI Competition: US Leads China in Data Center Race; Europe Is a 'Non-Factor' Chris Riegel, Stratacache, with John Batchelor Riegel discussed the global race involving data center building and the growth of large language models for AI. Riegel asserts that the competition is a "two-horse race" between the U.S. and China. The U.S. currently leads by maybe one to two years due to its focus on development, capital, and infrastructure. The European Union, conversely, is described as a "non-factor" and "nowhere" in this technological competition. Most top engineering talent in this space comes specifically to the United States for opportunity. Riegel noted that the capital developed by an individual like Elon Musk easily out-competes all of Europe's governmental funding toward advanced AI and data centers.