Scientific Collaboration in the Age of AI Geopolitics: Governing Openness Under Strategic Competition

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is intensifying geopolitical competition while deepening scientific interdependence. Amid the global AI race, governments increasingly restrict technological exchange to protect national security and strategic advantage. Yet, AI innovation depends on transnational flows of knowledge, talent, data, computing resources, and open-source tools. This essay argues that science policy should navigate this tension through “managed openness,” an approach that rejects both unrestricted interdependence and wholesale technological decoupling. Drawing on the coexistence of scientific collaboration and strategic rivalry, it proposes distinguishing among forms of research risk; applying transparent, proportionate safeguards rather than broad restrictions; preserving cooperation on shared AI safety and governance challenges; and supporting scientific intermediaries that sustain communication across political divides. Managed openness also enables states to strengthen resilience in strategic areas while maintaining international collaboration. It thus offers a pragmatic framework for reconciling legitimate security concerns with the openness essential to scientific innovation and global AI governance.