For years, China proudly wore the "copycat" label. In this episode, we watch it start to flip.A phone company that began making cars two years ago just built something Ford never thought of in a hundred years. Chris explains why: Xiaomi lives next to the factory floor. An AI prodigy who had an Apple offer, with permission to stay in Beijing, chose to build at home instead, and made Kimi. Apple is only now getting to a folding phone with their iPhone Duo; Huawei, Xiaomi, and Samsung already make one. And the advice that startups should steal IP first and hire lawyers later? That didn't come from China. Those are words straight out of ex-Google CEO's mouth.We also look at the other side of the coin: which of Y Combinator's most-wanted startup ideas belong in China and which only work in the US; why Anker wants off Amazon, and why brands in China are always renting their traffic; and where does that traffic go once AI starts answering the questions for us.So who's copying whom now? Forty-five minutes, two sides, you decide.

FlipSide EP12 is now live.This episode centers on a striking contrast in how AI is viewed in China and the U.S.In China, investors and entrepreneurs are largely optimistic about AI. In the U.S., some of the strongest warnings about AI are coming from people working inside frontier AI companies themselves.That contrast runs through the entire episode.Chris just got back from a trip through the Bay Area, New York, and Los Angeles. Ryan brings the view from Chengdu.They talk about how attitudes toward AI differ across China, the U.S., and generations. They also look at how businesses are changing the way they think about tokens and real-world AI usage.The conversation also touches on some of the latest business stories, from SHEIN's plans for a Hong Kong listing to Tesla's Cybercab.Tune in to FlipSide EP12, and let us know what you think in the comments.

This episode is about the deeper variables behind the AI race.Why did Anthropic release one of the most powerful models and then pull it back? Why does open source AI still come with massive infrastructure costs? How are the US and China competing for top global talent? Why do Chinese internet companies fight so hard over portals, payments, and traffic? And will GEO make future brands more niche than ever?From models, chips, data, and power to visas, capital, platform wars, and the new class divide created by AI, this episode goes beyond AI headlines and looks at the structure behind US-China tech competition.#airace #USChinaTech #chinatech #GEO #FlipSidePodcast