The American website "National Interest" reported that there is an increasing consensus among U.S. national security agencies that China poses a strategic threat to the United States, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence. The site quoted officials from the National Counterintelligence and Security Center that China’s pursuit of developing artificial intelligence technology could have significant implications for future military and economic competition with Washington.
Intelligence officials have warned companies operating in key areas that allow Chinese investment or rely on its expertise to take important precautions in protecting their intellectual property related to their products. Under both the Donald Trump and Joe Biden administrations, U.S.-China relations have deteriorated to unprecedented levels, with a growing consensus among U.S. national security agencies that Beijing represents a strategic threat to the United States.
While Biden has expressed that he does not want a "cold war" with China and prefers to work with them on shared concerns such as climate change, relations have remained tense, particularly in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, with Washington blaming Beijing for failing to tackle the outbreak.
Why Does Chinese AI Worry America?
Artificial intelligence has taken on a significant role in China, integrating it alongside other advanced technologies such as robotics in the "Made in China 2025" development strategy. The "National Interest" website states that there is no doubt that much of the knowledge necessary for artificial intelligence in China has been acquired illegally or unlawfully from the United States. The previous Trump administration estimated that the United States suffers losses exceeding $600 billion each year due to China's intellectual property violations.
Michael Orlando, acting director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, stated that the United States "cannot afford to lose "the race to develop new technology with China in key areas, including artificial intelligence technology." However, the U.S. official did not go so far as to advise companies in his country to ban Chinese investment.
One area of particular concern for the center has been biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, where China has made significant acquisitions in the past two years. The agency warned that companies associated with China in the United States benefit from American medical data and work to return it to Beijing. Orlando emphasized that these developments should be understood as part of Beijing's desire to expand its technical knowledge, highlighting that this is not only about state-owned Chinese companies.
