Chinese state media dismisses ‘self-serving’ AI slowdown call
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China Daily accused leading US AI executives of using calls for slower development of frontier models to blunt competition from China.
PHOTO: AFP
- Chinese state media accused US AI leaders of calling for slower AI development to protect American dominance and block China's progress, calling it a "self-serving" and exclusionary move.
- China criticised US calls as fearmongering and emphasised its own AI safety framework addressing risks like "recursive self-improvement."
- The AI rivalry intensifies ahead of US-China talks, with China urging cooperation and highlighting opportunities for practical engagement on AI safety governance.
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BEIJING – Chinese state media accused leading US AI executives of using calls for slower development of frontier models to blunt competition from China, describing the push as a “self-serving” effort to preserve American dominance.
An editorial published on Sept 14 by state-owned China Daily said recent remarks from AI leaders in the US showed how restrictions aimed at limiting China’s AI development were shifting to software after curbs on chips and equipment failed to stop companies in the Asian nation from building competitive models.
It said calls by Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, OpenAI’s Sam Altman and SpaceXAI’s Elon Musk to moderate frontier AI development amounted to a “coordinated play” intended to preserve US dominance.
“The proposed coordination among the three companies sounds rather like a club whose membership rules have been drafted before the guest list is announced,” China Daily said.
“A global AI-safety framework that excludes China is not quite global.”
Over the weekend, Amodei called for easing the pace of AI development while urging tighter curbs on China’s model makers to maintain the US lead, citing concerns that a Chinese advantage in the technology could “pose grave danger” to the world.
Both Altman and Musk backed his slowdown proposal.
In response, China’s Foreign Ministry criticised the tech executives’ calls.
“Fearmongering, confrontation and vicious competition will only disrupt the process of global AI governance and serve the interests of no one,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun.
The China Daily article added to criticism from Chinese state media of warnings sounded by US AI executives, even as Beijing highlighted some similar technological risks.
On Sept 14, China released an updated AI safety governance framework to address emerging risks as the technology evolves.
The document, authored by an official cybersecurity standards-setting body, said artificial intelligence was showing a tendency towards “recursive self-improvement” – the same dynamic cited by Amodei in his 3,800-word essay arguing for greater caution.
“Whether the speed and direction of technological evolution may exceed human anticipation and control demands attention and vigilance,” according to the report by the Standardisation Administration of China, which was drafted under the guidance of the Cyberspace Administration of China.
Chinese cybersecurity stocks extended their rally on the morning of Sept 15.
Shenzhen Sinovatio Technology jumped as much as 10 per cent on a fourth day of gains, while Topsec Technologies rose 8 per cent.
The dispute over frontier technology is intensifying days before US and Chinese officials are expected to hold AI discussions ahead of US President Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sept 24.
“China and the US should cooperate where neither can manage the consequences alone,” the China Daily editorial said.
“The planned AI-safety dialogue between the two sides and future high-level exchanges offer opportunities for practical engagement.” BLOOMBERG