High Capacity

Kyle Chan
  • 4.8 (10)
  • Technology
  • Updated Biweekly

A podcast about China, technology, and geopolitics. In-depth conversations with experts on AI, robotics, EVs, clean tech, biotech, etc. Hosted by Kyle Chan, Fellow at Brookings and author of the High Capacity newsletter.

  1. 5d ago

    Are the US and China in an AI Race? AGI vs. Diffusion, AI Risk, Bad Actors, the Case for Cooperation

    Is the U.S.–China AI competition really a winner-take-all race to AGI? Why has China embraced open-source AI? And are the biggest frontier models actually the greatest security threat? In this episode, I speak with Alvin Wang Graylin, a Digital Fellow at the Stanford Digital Economy Lab, a Senior Fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis, a professor of AI and technology policy at the University of Washington, and co-author of Our Next Reality. We discuss: • China’s AI strategy and its focus on spreading AI throughout the economy• Why the “decisive strategic advantage” theory may misread the U.S.–China AI relationship• The prisoner’s dilemma, the stag hunt, and the case for cooperation on AI safety• China’s open-source AI ecosystem and the debate over open versus closed models• Why small, specialized AI systems may pose greater security risks than frontier models• How export controls may be accelerating Chinese AI innovation• China’s push into robotics, manufacturing, and physical AI• How China’s technology industry has changed over the past three decades Read Alvin’s essays, “Misdiagnosing the U.S.–China AI Race” and “The Biggest AI Models Are Not the Biggest Threats.” You can also follow Alvin on X and LinkedIn, or read his Substack, The Abundanist. For transcripts and more information, visit the High Capacity newsletter. Follow host Kyle Chan on X.

  2. Aug 16

    China's Hidden AI Economy

    How do users in China get access to Claude and ChatGPT through the gray market? What’s really driving China’s apparent “AI optimism”? How is China trying to deal with deepfakes and AI-generated content? In this episode, I speak with Zilan Qian, a researcher at the Oxford China Policy Lab about the hidden side of China’s AI boom, including: How Chinese users use “transfer stations” to access American AI models like Claude and ChatGPTWhy Chinese users still want to use Claude and ChatGPT even though there are strong Chinese modeWhy China’s apparent AI optimism is really driven by anxiety about falling behindChina’s push to label AI-generated content—and the problems with watermarks, detection, and false positives Links: Zilan’s Oxford pageZilan on Substack and Twitter / XHow to Buy Cheap Claude Tokens in ChinaChina’s AI optimism isn’t what it seemsLabelling AI-Generated Content in China

  3. Jul 24

    The Real Story Behind China's EV Rise

    How did China build a world-leading EV industry? China didn't just pick winners. Local governments and private entrepreneurs played a critical role alongside a broader national push into batteries and electric vehicle technology. In this episode, I talk with Fengming Lu, an assistant professor at Australian National University, about China's decades-long effort to build a world-class auto industry, its pivot to EVs, and what lessons other countries might learn. We discuss: • How Chinese local governments act like VC investors • What China learned from foreign automakers like GM, Volkswagen • The rise of upstarts like Geely, Chery, and BYD • What caused a wave of Chinese EV startups like NIO, Xpeng, Li Auto • The "Hefei model" Links: • The Rise of China’s Electric Vehicle Industry: Strategic Alliances Between Local Governments and Private Capital • Fengming's personal website • Fengming on Twitter / X For transcripts and more information, check out the High Capacity newsletter. Follow host Kyle Chan on Twitter / X

  4. Jul 3

    What Explains China's Biotech Rise? Genomics, Data, and the Global Biotech Ecosystem

    Why is China’s biotech industry advancing so quickly? I talk with Abigail Coplin of Vassar College to unpack China’s biotech strategy, BGI, genomics, AI-driven drug discovery, gene therapies, biotech regulation, and what the U.S.-China biotech race means for innovation, national security, and the future of medicine. Why has China emerged so quickly as a global biotech powerhouse?What gives Chinese biotech companies an edge over their Western competitors?How did BGI become one of the world’s most influential genomics companies?Why are China’s gene and cell therapies advancing so rapidly?What should U.S. policymakers know about China's biotech industry? Links: Abigail’s academic profileAbigail’s policy paper for the Penn Project on the Future of U.S.-China Relations: “Getting Biotechnology Right: Managing Risk and Reward Between the U.S. and China in the Life Sciences”Yu Zhou and Abigail Coplin. 2022. “Innovation in a Science-Based Sector: The Institutional Evolution behind China’s Emerging Biopharmaceutical Innovation Boom.” The China Review. For transcripts and more information, check out the High Capacity newsletter. Follow host Kyle Chan on Twitter / X.

  5. Jun 16

    Mythos, China, and a New Era of AI Regulation

    What happened with Anthropic's Mythos and Fable models? Why did Anthropic's approach to AI safety trigger such strong backlash? What does this mean for the future of AI regulation? What role does open-source AI play in this new era of AI control? How will this impact Chinese AI labs and open-source AI models? In this episode, I talk with Nathan Lambert, a leading expert on open-source AI. He previously led post-training at Ai2, founded The ATOM Project, and writes the popular Interconnects AI newsletter. Topics covered: - Anthropic, Mythos, Fable, and the Claude controversy - Are Anthropic’s AI safety claims sincere? - Silent degradation, trust, and researcher backlash - Open science, open-source AI, and safety - How will Anthropic's new safety features impact Chinese AI labs? - The “AGI era” of AI governance - Is open-source AI safer or riskier? - Why US developers use Chinese open-source models - What Nathan learned from visiting China’s AI labs - Are Chinese AI labs AGI-pilled?Follow Nathan Lambert: Interconnects newsletterThe ATOM ProjectX/Twitter: @natolambertFollow Kyle Chan: High Capacity newsletterX/Twitter: @kyleichan #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Anthropic #mythos #fable #Claude #OpenSourceAI #ChinaAI #AIGovernance #AISafety

  6. May 29

    Is China Getting Worried About AI?

    In this episode of the High Capacity podcast, I talk with Matt Sheehan, Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment, about the next phase of the US-China AI race: AI safety, open-source models, AI agents, job displacement, and what the US and China might discuss with each other. As the U.S. and China prepare for formal talks on AI, both sides are wrestling with a fast-changing technology landscape. The U.S. is increasingly worried about frontier model risks, cyber threats, non-state actors, and pre-release testing. China, meanwhile, is becoming more concerned about AI’s impact on jobs, social stability, political control, and the rise of autonomous AI agents. We discuss what China really fears about AI, why Beijing’s AI governance strategy is shifting from control to deployment to broader regulation, how open-source AI might complicate safety talks, and what realistic US-China talks on AI might look like. Topics covered: U.S.-China AI talks, AI safety, Chinese AI policy, AI agents, OpenClaw, open-source AI, frontier models, cyber risk, AI job displacement, China’s AI regulations, autonomous weapons, AI hotlines, and the future of AI governance. Links: - Matt Sheehan’s Substack - Matt Sheehan’s Carnegie page - “China is getting worried about AI & jobs” - “China Is Worried About AI Companions. Here’s What It’s Doing About Them.” - Matt Sheehan on Twitter: @mattsheehan88 For transcripts and more, check out the ⁠High Capacity newsletter⁠ More about the host, Kyle Chan, fellow at Brookings

  7. May 22

    How China is Rewriting the Rules of AI Healthcare with Dr. Ruby Wang

    China’s biotech and healthcare sectors are evolving at extraordinary speed — from AI-powered “doctor avatars” and digital health super apps to a wave of Chinese drug innovation reshaping the global pharmaceutical industry. In this episode, I speak with physician and healthcare strategist Dr. Ruby Wang about the latest trends in China's AI + healthcare innovation.We discuss: Why Western pharma companies are rushing to license Chinese drugsChina’s rise as a global biotech powerhouseAI doctors, digital hospitals, and health super appsThe role of Alibaba, Ant Group, and DeepSeek in healthcareWhy China’s healthcare digitization is moving faster than the WestThe future of AI in medicine and diagnosticsChinese medical devices, robotics, and healthcare hardwareHow Chinese regulators accelerated biotech innovationWhether healthcare can become China’s next major global export industryThe challenges China still faces in healthcare access and inequalityRuby Wang is a UK-trained physician, founder of China Health Pulse, and author of the upcoming book China Cure, which explores the global impact of China’s biotech and AI healthcare advances. Links: China Health Pulse newsletter and podcast: https://www.chinahealthpulse.com/ For transcripts and more, check out the ⁠High Capacity newsletter⁠: https://www.highcapacity.org/ More about the host, Kyle Chan: https://www.kyleichan.com/

  8. May 12

    Is China Building the Next NVIDIA? China's Semiconductor Industrial Policy with Paul Triolo

    China is racing to build its own complete semiconductor industry, from AI chips and fabs to chipmaking tools like EUV lithography machines. I'm joined by industry expert Paul Triolo. 00:28 China’s Semiconductor Self-Reliance Push 11:50 How Huawei Became China’s Chip Champion 17:37 Huawei, SMIC, and the Fight for Fab Capacity 24:14 Can China Build Its Own EUV Lithography Machines? 36:55 DeepSeek, Huawei, and China’s AI Chip Feedback Loop 53:53 Why Chinese Tech Giants Are Designing Their Own Chips Links: American Affairs: “Innovation Under Pressure: China’s Semiconductor Industry at a Crossroads”Paul Triolo on X: @pstAsiaTechPaul Triolo's Substack: AIStackDecryptedFor transcripts and more, check out the ⁠High Capacity newsletter⁠. Hosted by Kyle Chan

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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

A podcast about China, technology, and geopolitics. In-depth conversations with experts on AI, robotics, EVs, clean tech, biotech, etc. Hosted by Kyle Chan, Fellow at Brookings and author of the High Capacity newsletter.

Information

  • Creator
    Kyle Chan
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Kyle Chan
  • Show Website
    High Capacity

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