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The war of artificial intelligence, likened to the Trojan War, now pits the world’s great powers against each other in a struggle for technological supremacy. While the United States leads through its digital giants, its vulnerability lies in its dependence on Asian semiconductors, even as China advances methodically, relying on its own tech champions and tight control of information. Europe, more a regulator than a conqueror, struggles to assert itself, while India has already emerged as a key player. In this new Iliad, the victor will not be the strongest, but the most cunning, and the outcome remains deeply uncertain.
A central event in Greek mythology, the Trojan War stands out for its length, its many twists and turns, and the utter devastation of its outcome, not only for the gods of Olympus, but also for the ill-fated Trojans and many Achaean victors who perished during or after their return.
At times, political and economic reality surpasses fiction. The exponential rise of artificial intelligence invites striking parallels with the Trojan Cycle. Today, the war of Troy is no longer fought on the shores of the Hellespont, but in the AI laboratories of the United States and China, with other nation-states in Asia and Europe entering the fray.
Like in the Iliad, the protagonists are preparing for a decisive clash, where mastery of AI will determine the future of humanity. Who will be the seemingly invincible Achilles? Who will take on the mantle of Hector, and above all, what will be the Trojan Horse that tips the balance? This story is still unfolding and promises many unexpected turns. But the war of AI has already begun, and although many Cassandras are warning of dire outcomes, almost no one listens. Such is their fate.
Toward a New Post-Homeric Dystopia?
Artificial intelligence is not merely a technological revolution. It is a vector of power, reshaping economies, military supremacy, and the governance of nations. AI does more than compute: it anticipates, and shapes reality itself. From algorithmic finance to autonomous weapons and strategic disinformation, AI represents a multidimensional battlefield where the victor may redraw the world in their image.
Where Greek city-states once fought for honor and dominance over their neighbors, the United States and China now battle for control over algorithms, semiconductors, and massive data networks.
United States vs. China: Achilles and Hector?
The United States, with its Silicon Valley and tech giants like Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, and OpenAI, positions itself at the forefront of Western technological dominance. But its Achilles’ heel is its dependence on semiconductors manufactured in Asia. In response, Washington is striving to cut off China’s access to advanced chips from NVIDIA and TSMC, while China counters by developing potentially even more powerful technologies.
The Middle Kingdom is playing a millennia-old game of chess, executing an integrated strategy that combines massive investments, remarkable economic intelligence, and control over a vast domestic market. This captive market, bolstered by strong political support, could allow it to decimate the valuations of many Western unicorns. Huawei, Baidu, Tencent, Alibaba, and SenseTime form the phalanx of a state-orchestrated AI ecosystem.
The Trojan Horse may well take the shape of a TikTok avatar and its algorithms, capable of swaying global public opinion. Just as the Greeks feigned retreat to enter Troy by cunning, China could follow and even surpass the American example by infiltrating minds through seductive platforms that allow strategic control over the flow of information.
Europe: A Paris Without Free Will or Power?
Europe, for its part, seems to embody the role of Paris, forced to choose and suffer the consequences of his choice. The continent boasts strong AI expertise, with players like DeepMind, Dassault Systèmes, Mistral AI, and Aleph Alpha. Yet it struggles to assert leadership and, instead of taking a conquering stance, retreats behind a regulatory approach. The AI Act seeks to erect legislative ramparts against titans that are unlikely to be tamed by the mere performative power of legal texts.
Is Europe’s caution a form of wisdom, a contented vassalage, or an admission of impotence? In choosing to regulate AI rather than dominate it, the Old Continent risks marginalizing itself in a world increasingly ruled by boldness, where technological supremacy is the only language of negotiation.
India: An Underestimated Patroclus?
In the shadow of the Chinese and American giants, India is rising. With tech leaders such as Infosys, Tata Group, and Tech Mahindra, and a vast pool of AI talent, it could emerge as a third key player. Its geopolitical position enables it to act as an arbiter between blocs while building its own technological sovereignty, as it already does in the space sector. For now, India resembles Patroclus: brilliant but underestimated.
Toward a Peace Among Braves or a Titanic Confrontation?
Several scenarios are now taking shape. The first is a fragmented world, where AI splinters into relatively closed technological blocs, and regional powers dominate their neighbors. During the Trojan War, Agamemnon commanded the Achaean army by rallying his vassals; could a similar dynamic play out again?
The second scenario is a race toward AGI (Artificial General Intelligence), where the first nation to achieve general intelligence could eclipse its rivals, wielding systems capable of executing a vast range of human tasks.
The third and most belligerent scenario foresees military conflicts amplified by AI, where algorithms would decide the wars of tomorrow and direct their unfolding.
In the Iliad, Troy falls not to brute force but to cunning. Likewise, in this AI war, the victor will not necessarily be the strongest, but the most strategic. So, who, then, will play the role of Ulysses? One thing is certain: the odyssey will be long, and the return to Ithaca, uncertain…
