Former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema warned the U.S. could lose AI leadership to China unless it expands domestic infrastructure and reduces supply-chain reliance. Speaking on Fox & Friends, she said China could program AI with "Chinese values" if it dominates the field and called the competition a national security priority. Sinema compared AI fears to earlier concerns about the internet and highlighted early community benefits like AI-optimized emergency and school-bus routes. She also criticized what she called misinformation about data centers and praised current administration messaging.
Sinema: U.S. Must Win the AI Race — Warns China Could Embed "Chinese Values" in Global AI
Former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., speaks to reporters in the Ohio Clock Corridor of the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 9, 2025.
Former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) warned that the United States risks ceding global leadership in artificial intelligence to China unless it rapidly expands domestic AI infrastructure and capacity.
Speaking on Fox & Friends, Sinema said, "China is doing everything it can to dominate AI globally, and they will program the AI with Chinese values." She echoed former President Donald Trump's calls to prioritize American influence in the development and governance of AI, saying, "We've got to double down and make sure that American values are the values of the world, and that we control this global AI agenda."
Domestic Infrastructure And Supply Chain Concerns
Sinema urged swift action to build up U.S.-based data centers and invest in AI infrastructure to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains. "That's why these data centers are so important all across the country," she said, arguing the AI competition is a national security issue the nation "has got to win."
Former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has advocated for greater investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Addressing Job Fears And Early Benefits
Responding to worries that AI will cost Americans their jobs, Sinema compared today's AI transition to the internet revolution of the 1990s. She noted that despite early fears the internet would "ruin jobs" or "take control," it ultimately brought widespread convenience, productivity and new opportunities.
"People think, 'Oh, the robots are gonna take over.' But what they're maybe not thinking about is how it's enhancing their lives already," she said, pointing to early examples such as AI-optimized firetruck and school-bus routes that help communities operate more efficiently.
Politics And Public Messaging
Sinema also criticized some on the political left for spreading what she described as "misinformation" about AI and the local impacts of data centers. She praised the Trump administration's communications on the issue, saying those messages are helping bring together people who want "efficient, proactive, good lives," and who want better opportunities for their children. "This is, I think, a really important issue that has nothing to do with partisanship," she added.
The comments reflect growing bipartisan attention to the geopolitical stakes of advanced AI development, including debates over investment, regulation, infrastructure and values-driven governance.
