Demis Hassabis Warns China Is Closing the Gap in Artificial Intelligence

Published on January 21, 2026 | Translated from Spanish
Demis Hassabis, CEO of DeepMind, speaking on a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, with a serious expression and hand gestures.

Demis Hassabis points out that China is closing the gap in artificial intelligence

The top executive of DeepMind, Demis Hassabis, observes that Chinese teams developing artificial intelligence are doing so at an increasingly rapid pace. During a conversation at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Hassabis detailed that the technical gap between Western systems and those created in China is now measured in months. Although the distance remains, the expert highlights that it has shortened substantially over the last two years. This analysis comes at a time when the international rivalry to dominate this technology is at its peak. πŸ€–

A technical gap quantified at half a year

In dialogue with Bloomberg, Hassabis preferred to define the current lag using a specific number. The executive calculates that Chinese AI models are around six months behind the most advanced Western versions. This statement confirms his comments from the previous week, where he had already pointed to a notable reduction in the interval. His judgment is based on the speed with which research groups in China manage to implement and refine their systems.

Key factors in China's acceleration:
  • The speed to adopt and improve existing technologies.
  • Large investments in resources for research and development.
  • An environment that drives teams to innovate without pause.
β€œThe technical capability gap between Western and Chinese systems is now measured in months.” – Observation by Demis Hassabis.

The global competitive landscape accelerates advances

Hassabis's assessment shows the current dynamic in the sector, where numerous national and global actors are allocating enormous resources. The contest to create models that are more powerful and efficient not only involves a few companies but extends to entire continents. This context motivates groups to innovate more quickly and reduce technical distances that previously seemed longer. The effect is a technological scenario that evolves at an unprecedented pace, where development times are continuously shortening.

Elements defining global competition:
  • A race involving multiple nations and large corporations.
  • The constant compression of deadlines to achieve new milestones.
  • A landscape where any temporary advantage can be ephemeral.

Six months: a breath in the technological race

It seems that in the dispute to lead artificial intelligence, the span of six months can represent an eternity or a mere instant, depending on the position from which the contest is viewed. The ability to maintain or close that advantage will define the next leaders in a field that never stops transforming. πŸš€