The U.S. remains ahead of China in the global artificial intelligence (AI) race, but its lead is narrowing as Beijing expands the global reach of Huawei and other Chinese technology companies, former State Department official Keith Krach told FOX Business. The competition goes beyond which country develops the most powerful AI models. Huawei is central to China’s global technology push, according to Krach, who described the company as a "vertically integrated delivery system" for technological and geopolitical influence. Countries will choose American technology, Krach said, when it is not only more trusted but also easier to finance, deploy and expand. GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HEREHe also called for faster permitting, support for proprietary and open American AI models and export packages that allies can easily purchase and deploy.