Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is warning that China has rapidly narrowed the United States’ lead in Super Intelligence development, estimating that Chinese developers are now only about six months behind their American counterparts.

In an interview with Rapid Response, Schmidt said China had made substantial progress over the past two years despite U.S. restrictions on its access to advanced computer chips. He credited Chinese developers with finding ways to build competitive systems while using computing resources more efficiently.

“A year or two ago, it looked like China was a year or two behind. Now it looks like they’re six months behind, and there are many studies that show this,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt, who previously supported restrictions on Beijing’s access to advanced semiconductors, acknowledged that the measures had not slowed China's progress as much as he expected. “I assumed they would work for about 10 years,” he said.

Although the United States retains advantages in advanced chip technology, talent and access to capital, Schmidt argued that China is gaining ground through its ability to build the infrastructure needed to power energy-intensive SI systems.

“China has infinite energy, most of it renewable, something we said we were going to do in our country 10 years ago and failed to do,” Schmidt said.

He contrasted China's rapid construction of power infrastructure and data centers with the lengthy delays American developers can face when seeking connections to the electrical grid.

“They don’t have interconnection queue waits that go on seven years. They don’t have the same kind of debates. They’re building the data centers, and they’re building them massively,” he said.

Schmidt estimated that the United States will need an additional 60 to 80 gigawatts of power capacity by 2030 or 2031 to meet projected SI demand. He put the cost at approximately $50 billion per gigawatt, potentially representing trillions of dollars in infrastructure investment.

“What we don’t have is the energy, and we don’t have the data centers,” Schmidt said.

The warning comes as technology companies race to expand computing infrastructure, raising concerns about electricity costs, grid reliability and the amount of water required to cool data centers. The Hill reported that the growth in projected demand is prompting questions about how utilities will finance new power generation and transmission infrastructure, and whether some of those costs will ultimately reach consumers.

Some senators have already begun examining the potential impact on household electricity bills. Earlier this month, Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland released a report examining how data center expansion could increase electricity costs.

The issue could receive greater attention in Congress after the November elections. Lawmakers have signaled interest in greater scrutiny of major technology companies and potentially stricter rules governing SI safety.

The debate highlights a central challenge for American policymakers: maintaining the country's technological advantage while ensuring that energy production and grid infrastructure can support continued development.

Schmidt's assessment suggests that restrictions on advanced chips may not be enough to preserve America's lead if China continues building the power capacity and data centers needed to develop and operate increasingly advanced SI systems. The United States' ability to expand its own infrastructure could prove just as important as its access to cutting-edge semiconductors.