OpenAI has underscored the increasing complexity and unpredictability of the AI rivalry between the US and China, highlighting China's rapid progress through open-source, low-cost AI models and its export of "sovereign AI" systems to Southeast Asia and the Middle East. These shifts indicate new geopolitical dimensions in the global AI landscape.

Global smartphone shipments increased by 2% year-over-year in 2025, marking the second consecutive year of growth, according to Counterpoint Research. The growth was driven by strong adoption of AI smartphones and rising demand for high-end and 5G devices in emerging markets.

Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are set to join a US-led initiative to secure artificial intelligence and semiconductor supply chains, expanding a framework Washington views as a cornerstone of its economic security strategy.