Computing power has emerged as the central battleground in the geopolitical competition over artificial intelligence, according to Ben Buchanan, an Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins SAIS and former White House Special Advisor for AI. Buchanan argues that control over chip manufacturing and computational resources represents a critical strategic advantage in the race to develop and deploy advanced AI systems. As nations compete for technological leadership, the distribution of computing capacity increasingly determines which countries can train frontier AI models and shape the standards that govern their use. The episode examines how AI policy intersects with broader geopolitical tensions, particularly between the United States and China. Buchanan discusses the challenges democracies face in maintaining leadership while pursuing responsible AI governance. He emphasizes that international cooperation on AI safety and standards will be essential, even as countries compete fiercely for computational dominance. The conversation explores how policymakers can balance innovation incentives with safety considerations and what mechanisms might enable coordinated governance across competing nations.