[4] It is normally understood to be wielded by a superpower, such as the United States, originally in competition with the Soviet Union[4][5] and now with China.
[3][6][7] Fields in which technological supremacy is being contested include artificial intelligence;[8] wireless technology;[9] and batteries, especially lithium batteries.
[10][11] Specifically, China is developing its Little Giants program to rival Silicon Valley, its Made in China 2025 program, a new infrastructure program, its Xinchuang Plan for alternative innovation, its digital currency plan, and its science parks plan.
[12] The development and maintenance of technological supremacy is associated with the promotion of technological companies and, in the military field, the relation between technological companies and the military in a country's military-technological complex,[13] including Chinese-style 'military-civil fusion'.
[14] The quest for technological supremacy is frequently depicted in science fiction, such as in Ready Player One.