The Chinese labs distill the SOTA models to boost the performance of theirs. They are a trailer hooked up (with a 3-6 month long chain) to the trucks pushing the technology forwards. I've yet to see a trailer overtake it's truck.
China would need an architectural breakthrough to leap American labs given the huge compute disparity.
I have seen indeed a trailer overtake its truck. Not a beautiful view.
No all they need is time. I am awaiting the dowfall of the ai hegemony and hype with popcorn at hand.
Care to explain how the volume of AI research papers authored by Chinese researchers[1] has exceeded US-published ones? Time-traveling plagiarism perhaps, since you believe the US is destined to lead always.
1. Chinese researcher in China, to be more specific.