The White House has announced it will increase cooperation with US artificial intelligence (AI) firms to address 'industrial-scale campaigns' by foreign entities allegedly stealing technological advancements. In an internal memo, Michael Kratsios, Director of Science and Technology Policy, indicated that new intelligence sources pointed to 'foreign entities, principally based in China,' exploiting American companies. This involves a process termed 'distilling,' where firms replicate AI technologies developed by US counterparts.
A representative from China's embassy in Washington responded, claiming China's advancements are a result of its own dedication and collaboration internationally, rejecting the implications of theft. Kratsios highlighted actions the White House would undertake to counter these practices, including enhanced information sharing on tactics used by Chinese firms, better coordination with US companies, and the potential development of best practices to mitigate the unauthorized harvesting of proprietary data.
Despite the serious nature of the allegations, the memo did not specify concrete steps to be taken against the offending foreign actors. A spokesperson from the White House declined to comment further on the issue.
In the context of AI technology theft, Kratsios underscored the vulnerabilities faced by foreign entities whose capabilities are based on illicit practices, while noting that leading AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic are already grappling with such distillation activities. The memo has raised eyebrows amid ongoing tensions between the US and China regarding technological competition.
A representative from China's embassy in Washington responded, claiming China's advancements are a result of its own dedication and collaboration internationally, rejecting the implications of theft. Kratsios highlighted actions the White House would undertake to counter these practices, including enhanced information sharing on tactics used by Chinese firms, better coordination with US companies, and the potential development of best practices to mitigate the unauthorized harvesting of proprietary data.
Despite the serious nature of the allegations, the memo did not specify concrete steps to be taken against the offending foreign actors. A spokesperson from the White House declined to comment further on the issue.
In the context of AI technology theft, Kratsios underscored the vulnerabilities faced by foreign entities whose capabilities are based on illicit practices, while noting that leading AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic are already grappling with such distillation activities. The memo has raised eyebrows amid ongoing tensions between the US and China regarding technological competition.
