Key facts
- US Congressman Ro Khanna is seeking data from AI firms on Chinese efforts to steal AI model weights.
A leading Democratic lawmaker is warning that China could steal advanced AI model weights from top US firms, potentially eroding America's lead in the AI race and posing national security risks. Congressman Ro Khanna has asked major AI companies to provide data on any known Chinese efforts to illegally access their prized model weights and their cybersecurity measures.
The potential theft of advanced AI model weights by China could undermine US national security and economic competitiveness by eroding its lead in artificial intelligence development. This raises concerns about the security of sensitive AI technology and the ability of US firms to protect their intellectual property from state-sponsored actors.
A leading Democratic lawmaker is warning that China could steal advanced AI model weights from top US firms, potentially eroding America's lead in the AI race and posing national security risks. Congressman Ro Khanna, who represents Silicon Valley, has asked major AI companies, including OpenAI and Anthropic, to provide data on any known Chinese efforts to illegally access their prized model weights and information on their cybersecurity measures.
Khanna's letters, dated Wednesday, highlight concerns that the theft of such weights by a hostile actor could endanger humanity and significantly diminish the US advantage in artificial intelligence. While OpenAI and Anthropic have reported instances of Chinese AI firms "distilling" their models, the theft of exact parameters and code that make an AI model operate, known as model weights, is considered rare.
"Never before have the national security and economic prospects of a nation been so dependent on the cybersecurity of a small handful of companies," Khanna wrote in the letters. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The lawmaker's concerns add to mounting pressure on American AI giants and the Trump administration to manage the technology's risks. President Donald Trump has previously downplayed AI concerns, emphasizing the need to maintain a competitive edge over China.
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