China’s government has issued a strong warning, stating it will “take all necessary measures” if the United States imposes new sanctions on its AI companies. This declaration emerged during a media Q&A hosted by the Ministry of Commerce, where officials responded to allegations that Chinese AI firms have distilled leading American AI models.
The accusations originated from Michael Kratsios, a former assistant to Donald Trump for Science and Technology, and were supported by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. In response, the Chinese Ministry reiterated its long-standing denial of any wrongdoing, characterizing such claims as propaganda aimed at discrediting the nation.
China’s Defense Against Allegations
The Ministry of Commerce argued that Chinese AI companies lacked sufficient time to distill the latest frontier models, as US firms released these models just days before Chinese companies published their own versions. Furthermore, China asserted that some of its AI models are already in a leading position, rendering the allegations of distillation unfounded.
Counterclaims and Industry Context
In a notable twist, the Ministry accused American AI companies of distilling Chinese models for their research and training purposes. While this claim raises questions about intellectual property practices, it does not necessarily imply wrongdoing on the part of US firms. Kratsios himself acknowledged that AI distillation can be a legitimate technique for creating smaller, more efficient models.
Call for Cooperation
The Ministry’s statement did not specify how China might respond to potential sanctions but concluded with a call for the US to work together in promoting the positive development of artificial intelligence. This appeal references the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), a 29-member body that China has recently convened to foster AI governance and deployment.
Simultaneously, the AI discourse in the US is intensifying, as 77 technology companies recently signed an open letter urging lawmakers to support open weights models. This context highlights a shared interest between China and a segment of the tech industry regarding certain AI issues, despite the ongoing tensions.
This article was produced by NeonPulse.today using human and AI-assisted editorial processes, based on publicly available information. Content may be edited for clarity and style.
Original source: theregister.com
