This book challenges state-centric views of artificial intelligence and great power competition, showing how tech giants and open-source communities are becoming key geopolitical actors. It traces the evolution from state-dominated AI rivalry to a more complex landscape where corporate and community forces also shape the future. The early chapters critique traditional international relations frameworks and then move to examine the infrastructural power of major technology firms and the democratizing influence of open-source development. Later sections explore how these non-state actors affect global governance, technological sovereignty, and the strategic options available to nations. The book concludes by proposing a multi-stakeholder governance model that balances regulation, public–private cooperation, and support for digital public goods. Written for both specialists and general readers, this book offers a fresh perspective on AI geopolitics, non-state actors, and the algorithmic age.

Edmund Li Sheng is Distinguished Professor and Mount Tai Chair at Shandong University and the China-SCO Institute of Economy and Trade. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Freiburg and has held visiting positions at universities in Macau, Germany, the UK, and Russia. He is Author of 17 monographs and more than 130 journal articles and has received the Chinese Ministry of Education’s award for Outstanding Academic Achievements as well as Springer Nature’s China New Development Prize.