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US accuses Chinese AI firms of 'malicious' copying of AI technology
Reuters • • business
Key Points:
- The U.S. government accused Chinese AI companies of maliciously copying technology from American AI firms using a technique called distillation, which involves training smaller AI models with outputs from larger ones to reduce costs.
- U.S. officials described China's AI companies as engaging in aggressive and targeted distillation activities on an industrial scale, raising concerns about intellectual property theft and potential impacts on U.S.-China relations.
- The allegations come ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's planned visit to the U.S. later this month and a scheduled dialogue on AI safety risks between the two countries.
- U.S. officials warned that the copied technology not only lowers R&D costs for Chinese firms but also enhances China's military and cyberattack capabilities, posing potential threats to the U.S. and its allies.
- The Chinese embassy in Washington has not yet responded to the accusations, and similar allegations were made by the U.S. earlier this year before a previous presidential visit to Beijing.
