According to a report on the Fortune.com website on July 8, Palmer Luckey, the founder of American defense technology company Anduril and a billionaire, previously stated at an event that in the competition between artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced manufacturing, what really lags behind in the United States is not technology, but talent development. The real battle is not just about technology, but about who can cultivate the best students in the world.
In an interview with the American think tank Hoover Institute, he described that the United States teaches children to have great ambitions, while China teaches them how to achieve their dreams in a practical way. Specifically, American universities are becoming increasingly detached from engineering practice, while China is cultivating a large number of artificial intelligence and engineering talents through its education system. This gap is beginning to weaken the competitiveness of American businesses.
Palmer Laki – Cover Illustration for Fortune magazine
Laki pointed out that American universities no longer teach engineers how to become engineers. Many design tasks ultimately result in just proposals, which are then handed over to Chinese engineers for manufacturing and implementation.
He cited Apple as an example, saying that in the past, Apple had to overcome engineering challenges in product manufacturing on its own. Now, “most of the most difficult work is done by Chinese engineers,” and the true engineering capabilities of American companies have been “diluted.”
However, Larky believes that the United States still has an advantage—it is easier to cultivate entrepreneurs who are willing to take risks. He cited his own experience as an 19-year-old who founded the virtual reality company Oculus and later the Andorre company as examples, saying that such development experiences “won’t happen in China.”
Fortune magazine noted that as the technological competition between China and the United States intensifies, more and more senior American corporate executives are issuing similar warnings.
Earlier this year, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said that China’s pace of scientific development is "three times that of the West, with only half the cost," and that according to current trends, by the end of this century, China's scientific capabilities could surpass those of the United States.
Reports indicate that in recent years, China has continuously adjusted the majors offered in universities. Some liberal arts and management-related majors have been reduced, while majors in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and semiconductors have been added. Additionally, education in artificial intelligence has been extended to primary and secondary schools to meet the needs of industrial development.
