Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Sunday said that Chinese Communist Party-linked actors are funding efforts to amplify American fears about artificial intelligence (AI), arguing the goal is to slow U.S. technological progress.
Cruz Says China Seeks To Slow US
In a post on X, Cruz wrote that "Chinese communists have spent a lot of money trying to scare Americans away from AI."
In the podcast shared with the post, Cruz said many Americans already have significant concerns about AI, citing polls that show roughly 60% to 70% of respondents express worries about the technology.
"Those concerns are not irrational, or many of them are not. I have concerns about AI. That’s perfectly rational," Cruz said.
However, he argued that outside actors are attempting to deepen those fears.
"What you should be aware is that there is a concerted effort to convince you to have those concerns," Cruz said.
He added, "The Chinese communists are putting real money. Their objective is for that 60 to 70 percent to become 80 to 90 percent and for the concerns to drive you to want to shut down AI."
According to Cruz, the ultimate goal is to generate enough public opposition to slow or restrict AI development in the United States.
US-China AI Rivalry
Earlier this month, Chris Miller, author of "Chip War," said China has invested less aggressively in AI than the U.S., arguing Beijing does not view AGI with the same urgency as American companies and policymakers.
He noted China’s $295 billion AI plan is spread over five years and that Chinese firms have favored Huawei chips over Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) products.
Last month, Washington and Beijing were reportedly considering official AI talks ahead of a possible meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, with discussions expected to focus on AI safety risks and advanced weapons systems.
Separately, the U.S. Commerce Department closed a loophole that allowed overseas subsidiaries of Chinese companies to obtain advanced AI chips, tightening export controls on technology from companies such as Nvidia.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: lev radin / Shutterstock.com
Login to comment