U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that if China takes the lead in artificial intelligence and leaves the U.S. behind, “there will be no tomorrow,” adding that even a massive U.S. defense budget would not be enough to ensure security. Bessent’s remarks targeted domestic opposition to building large-scale data centers in the U.S., arguing that resistance could weaken the country’s competitiveness in the AI race. The report noted that China is deploying many new AI infrastructure projects in less populated regions, including the north and northwest.