How to read this finding
Policy amounts retain their original currencies and announcement-time meaning. Targets and funding commitments are not realized outcomes. Labor-market trends do not by themselves identify the effect of AI.
What was AI nationalism in the 2018 report?
It described governments treating AI capability as a strategic priority, with national plans for funding, skills, and industrial development. China’s 2030 plan was a prominent example.
Evidence you can use
Politics in the 2018 report
Historical snapshot: June 2018. Dates and populations are specified per row.
| Measure | Reported value | Definition and source |
|---|---|---|
| China AI industry target | $150B by 2030 | Stated policy goal, not observed 2018 industry revenue.2018 report, PDF page 139 |
| UK newly allocated government funding | £603M | Original currency preserved; AI Sector Deal allocation.2018 report, PDF page 143 |
| UK matched private funding | £300M | Separate private-sector commitment under the same deal.2018 report, PDF page 143 |
Policy amounts retain their original currencies and announcement-time meaning. Targets and funding commitments are not realized outcomes. Labor-market trends do not by themselves identify the effect of AI.
Sources and dates
Historical snapshot published June 29, 2018. This web edition was prepared on 2026-10-11 from the online deck and original launch posts. Findings and forecasts retain their original time frame.
- 2018 report, PDF page 130Original 2018 report. This edition has no printed slide numbers. References use one-based PDF pages.
- 2018 report, PDF page 139Original 2018 report. This edition has no printed slide numbers. References use one-based PDF pages.
- 2018 report, PDF page 143Original 2018 report. This edition has no printed slide numbers. References use one-based PDF pages.
- State of AI Report 2018: online slides
- Stories from Air Street launch essayJuly 29, 2018.
Cite this page
Benaich, Nathan, and Ian Hogarth. “What was AI nationalism in the 2018 report?” State of AI Report 2018. Historical report snapshot; web edition prepared 2026-10-11.