Technological supremacy is the notion of supremacy in the field of technology in either a regional[1] or global international relations context,[2] as well as in subfields, such as military-technological supremacy,[3] including air supremacy. The notion of one or more powers enjoying technological supremacy is ancient; the term 'technological supremacy' dates back to the 1950s.[4] It is normally understood to be wielded by a superpower, such as the United States, originally in competition with the Soviet Union[4][5] and now with China.[3][6][7] Fields in which technological supremacy is being contested include artificial intelligence;[8]wireless technology;[9] and batteries, especially lithium batteries.[10][11]
Specifically, China is developing its Little Giants program to rival Silicon Valley, its Made in China 2025 program, a new infrastructure program, its Xinchuang Plan for alternative innovation, its digital currency plan, and its science parks plan.[12] The development and maintenance of technological supremacy is associated with the promotion of technological companies and, in the military field, the relation between technological companies and the military in a country's military-technological complex,[13] including Chinese-style 'military-civil fusion'.[14]
The quest for technological supremacy is frequently depicted in science fiction, such as in Ready Player One.[15]
^Kim, Hojong; Boysen, Dane A.; Newhouse, Jocelyn M.; Spatocco, Brian L.; Chung, Brice; Burke, Paul J.; Bradwell, David J.; Jiang, Kai; Tomaszowska, Alina A.; Wang, Kangli; Wei, Weifeng; Ortiz, Luis A.; Barriga, Salvador A.; Poizeau, Sophie M.; Sadoway, Donald R. (March 13, 2013). "Liquid Metal Batteries: Past, Present, and Future". Chemical Reviews. 113 (3): 2075–2099. doi:10.1021/cr300205k. ISSN0009-2665. PMID23186356.
^Sutton, Jeanne C. Marrying commercial and military technologies : strategy for maintaining technological supremacy.. (1993). Essays on strategy(PDF). National Defense University Press. OCLC1023497246.