The United States invested 600 billion in artificial intelligence in 2026.

Omissions

• The $600 billion is a forward-looking estimate for calendar year 2026, not realised investment; at the time of the speech (21 October 2026) the year's actual investment could not yet be known.
• The ~$600 billion is a whole-economy US AI investment estimate dominated by hyperscaler capital expenditure (Reuters reported a planned $600 billion AI spending splurge by big tech firms in 2026), not a government or economy-wide disbursed amount.
• The comparison with China is not like-for-like: China's ~$290-295 billion is a five-year (2026-2030) state-directed data-centre plan (about $59 billion per year), so setting it against an annual US forecast inflates the apparent US lead.
• Measured US private AI investment was $285.9 billion in 2025 (Stanford HAI AI Index 2026), i.e. roughly half the $600 billion figure cited for 2026.
• The exact source of the MEP's figures was not cited, so it is not possible to establish which publication he relied on.

Sources

• PrimaryGoldman Sachs Research — Global AI Investment Is Forecast to Exceed $1 Trillion in 2026"Each of the cross-checks suggests that AI investment will total around $1 trillion globally and just under $600 billion in the US in 2026."
• PrimaryStanford HAI — The 2026 AI Index Report (Economy)"U.S. private AI investment reached $285.9 billion in 2025" / "Line chart showing US AI investment surging to $285.88 billion in 2025, far above Europe"
• SecondaryReuters — Big Tech's $600 billion spending plans exacerbate ..."A planned $600 billion artificial intelligence spending splurge by big tech firms in 2026 is adding to investor unease as they assess the ..."
• SecondaryBloomberg / Reuters — China prepares $295 billion plan to fund nationwide AI buildout"China is preparing to spend around 2 trillion yuan ($295.43 billion) over the next five years on building data centers across the country"