Early in his second term, President Donald Trump staked out an accelerationist approach to artificial intelligence. Instead of restricting the spread of U.S. semiconductors, as his predecessor did, his administration would promote their export far and wide.
Fast-forward a year, and officials in his administration are sounding the alarm about China’s AI advancements. They warn that China’s AI labs are quickly closing the gap with their U.S. counterparts. Chinese labs, they say, are stealing intellectual property from U.S. labs and using it to create capabilities that endanger our national security. The administration is now considering banning Chinese AI models.