Jurnal Media dan Komunikasi
Vol. 6 No. 2 (2026): Jurnal Media dan Komunikasi (MEDKOM) No 2 Volume 6 2026

Ethics, Power, Code: Divergent Bibliometric Trajectories of OpenAI and DeepSeek in the Silicon Valley-Shenzhen AI Race

Rony Kurniawan Pratama (Universitas Sebelas Maret)



Article Info

Publish Date
31 May 2026

Abstract

This study elucidates the opposing bibliometric trajectories of OpenAI and DeepSeek during the Silicon Valley-Shenzhen AI race by exploring how ethics, power, and geopolitical narratives shape the global AI discourse. Based on 126 English language publications in Scopus (2015–2024) and guided by the PRISMA systematic review methods and VOSviewer science mapping, our study identifies a surge of scholarly outputs after 2021, fuelled by ChatGPT's emergence and China's advancing AI sovereignty agenda. The findings show sharp distinctions in knowledge production: OpenAI-related studies mainly involve Western academic institutions in ethical debates on existential risks and the ethical safeguards needed, while DeepSeek-related studies champion practical implementation in collaboration with Chinese tech conglomerates and state-affiliated universities. Geopolitical framings position OpenAI as an embodiment of Silicon Valley's "democratic innovation" paradigm juxtaposed with DeepSeek as a symbol of China's techno-nationalist strategy. These emerging discursive trends increasingly gravitate toward algorithmic hegemony and governance fragmentation, suggesting that 68% of the comparative US-China studies frame AI development in competitive binaries. These trajectories show how knowledge ecosystems reflect and reinforce competing visions of digital power, from citation networks and institutional affiliations as proxies for ideological struggles.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

MEDKOM

Publisher

Subject

Social Sciences

Description

MEDKOM, Journal of Media and Communication (e-ISSN : 2776-3609) is a scientific, peer-reviewed journal published by Department of Communication Airlangga University. MEDKOM Journal is an interdisciplinary journal that, while centered in communication, is open and welcoming to contributions from the ...