As the AI landscape continues to evolve, countries around the world are expanding their efforts to develop and control their own AI capabilities. While the United States has long been the dominant player in the field, recent months have seen a significant shift in focus towards international markets. In this blog post, we’ll explore the growing trend of sovereign AI projects and what it means for investors and industry players alike.

According to a recent report by the Center for Naval Analyses (CNAS), there are now 185 sovereign AI projects underway in 67 countries, up from just one project in early 2023. This represents a remarkable increase in global interest and investment in AI technologies, with 41 new projects launched in the first half of 2026 alone.

However, it’s important to note that this growth is not necessarily a race for complete technological independence. Rather, countries are seeking selective control over specific aspects of the AI stack, such as infrastructure, models, and data. This means that while some countries may choose to develop their own AI capabilities in-house, they may still rely on foreign partnerships and investments to supplement their efforts.

For example, many sovereign AI projects still disclose a foreign partner, with over 60% of these partnerships involving US companies such as Meta’s Llama. This suggests that while countries may be seeking greater control over their AI capabilities, they are not necessarily looking to completely disrupt the existing global AI ecosystem.

So what does this mean for investors and industry players? While it may seem like a natural response to the growing trend of sovereign AI projects to view this as a threat to the US frontier, the reality is more complex. The global race for AI control represents a significant opportunity for investment and growth in international markets, particularly as countries look to develop their own capabilities in areas such as infrastructure and data.