How The U.S.-China Competition Will End | The Long Game

China’s ambitions, the AI race, sand shortages — and a 10% chance of UFOs. In this episode, Jake and Jon are joined by economist and public intellectual Tyler Cowen for a wide-ranging conversation about the economic and technological forces reshaping geopolitics and the balance of power. They ask what China actually wants and whether U.S.–China competition is headed toward conflict or a prolonged stalemate over Taiwan and Asia’s balance of power. They also debate whether the AI race is truly winner-take-all, how quickly transformation will come, and what a temporary U.S. edge would really buy. #USChina #Geopolitics #AIrace From there, the discussion turns to the less glamorous foundations of power — supply chains, and state capacity — before closing with a round of overrated/underrated rapid-fire questions across a range of topics and a detour into UAPs and unexplained aerial phenomena. New episodes drop Thursdays — follow The Long Game on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Chapters: 0:00 — Cold Open: AI with a Western Soul 0:33 — Intro: Tyler Cowen & the Structural Forces Shaping Power 2:27 — Staying Informed in the AI Era 5:07 — What Does China Want? Stalemate, Taiwan & Asia’s Balance of Power 18:11 — AI’s Real Timeline & the US–China Race 35:39 — Why Sand (and Supply Chains) Matter More Than You Think 46:50 — UAPs & the 10% Question 53:02 — Overrated / Underrated Lightning Round