US has acquired 72% of the world’s AI compute since 2022, Epoch AI data shows

The United States has acquired 72% of the world’s AI compute since 2022. That is the headline number from new research by Epoch AI, built from its AI Chip Imports explorer and published on October 27, 2026.

America’s share of newly acquired compute hit 78% in the first half of 2026, which suggests the gap is widening rather than closing.

What the numbers say

Epoch AI’s findings break down into a few key figures. The US took 72% of newly acquired compute in 2025, matching its cumulative share since 2022.

Then came 2026. In the first half of the year, the US share of new compute climbed to 78%.

China, the country most often framed as America’s AI rival, sits far behind. Epoch AI puts its share of global AI compute at about 10%.

That figure gets more interesting next to a second one. By raw chip count, China accounts for around 18% of AI chips. By actual compute performance, it holds only 10%.

According to the research, the discrepancy comes from China’s reliance on lower-performance chip models, along with compliance with export regulations.

Following the chips through customs

The methodology is arguably as notable as the results. Rather than relying on company disclosures or industry estimates, Epoch AI built its analysis on customs records.

The approach works because of a geographic quirk in the supply chain. Nearly all advanced AI chips are packaged in Taiwan, so they pass through a common chokepoint before shipping out to data centers around the world.

Customs data also makes the chip-versus-compute distinction measurable. Knowing what kind of chips went where lets analysts estimate actual processing power, not just unit volume.

The new figures line up with Epoch AI’s earlier work. The group previously estimated that the US held approximately 75% of global frontier AI compute capacity as of late 2025.

Why compute concentration matters

A 72% share since 2022 means the bulk of the world’s capacity to train and run advanced AI systems physically sits in one country.

The 18% versus 10% split is the key detail to watch for China. If Chinese chipmakers can close the performance gap, China’s compute share could rise even without importing more units.

Export controls sit at the center of that dynamic. The research ties China’s lower compute share partly to compliance with export regulations, which means policy decisions in Washington directly shape the global distribution of AI capacity.

The research highlights how much of the advanced chip pipeline runs through Taiwan, which makes that single packaging hub a point of concentration in its own right.

The trend line is what makes this data notable. A 72% share is already dominant. Watching it tick up to 78% in early 2026 suggests the AI compute race is not converging.