Biography

Russ Wilcox is CEO of ArtifexAI and publisher of The Pacific Divide, a leading newsletter analyzing Chinese AI strategy for Pentagon officials and venture capitalists. Starting in data science at age 16 with the U.S. Geological Survey, Wilcox applies physics-based pattern recognition to decode strategic intelligence from government documents, identifying critical signals 12-18 months before mainstream analysts.

With 16 years of experience in machine learning and artificial intelligence, Wilcox transforms municipal data into actionable intelligence for national security applications. He holds a B.A. in Physics with Honors from Boston University, where he received the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award and serves as Expert in Residence. He completed Advanced Reinforcement Learning certification at MIT. His methodology for detecting anomalies in unstructured data powers both municipal AI applications and China threat assessment.

Featured three times in Forbes and recognized as a TEDx speaker, Wilcox has presented at World Economic Forum events in Davos and served as a UN Civil Society delegate in Nairobi. His expertise in AI governance and Chinese competitive advantages has made him a sought-after advisor to federal agencies, where he provides expert testimony on AI vulnerabilities in U.S. public records and strategic gaps in Western AI deployment.

As a board member of multiple AI ethics nonprofits, Wilcox shapes responsible AI policy while implementing natural language processing systems for Fortune 500 companies and government agencies. As guest lecturer at UCLA and Expert in Residence at Boston University, he teaches the intersection of civic data analysis, foreign policy intelligence, and AI strategy, demonstrating how physics-based pattern recognition reveals hidden patterns in both municipal systems and Chinese strategic documents.

His unique position analyzing Chinese AI strategy through The Pacific Divide newsletter has established Wilcox as the definitive voice on China's AI ambitions for Western policymakers. Whether decoding Chinese procurement patterns or advising on democratic AI governance, his work demonstrates how pattern recognition transforms overlooked information into strategic advantage.