First US national security memo on AI sparks fear of escalating tech war with China
Jake Sullivan mentioned China when introducing document, saying US is concerned about its AI use to undermine security of US and its allies
Observers also expect Beijing to place greater emphasis on self-reliance in AI in response to pressure from the United States and its allies.
The White House outlined the nation’s “first-ever” strategy for harnessing powerful AI in United States military and intelligence agencies in a national security memorandum released last week.
It said the aim was to advance American technological leadership over “rivals” such as China and address “adversary threats” while providing safeguards.
Introducing the document on Thursday, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said talks between the two countries had not diminished Washington’s “deep concerns” about the ways in which Beijing used AI to “undermine the security of the United States and our allies and partners”.
He said China was developing a technological ecosystem with digital infrastructure “that won’t protect sensitive data, that can enable mass surveillance and censorship, that can spread misinformation and that can make countries vulnerable to coercion”.
