U.S. Accuses China of AI Espionage Amidst Diplomatic Tensions

The U.S. has accused several Chinese AI companies of maliciously copying technology from American AI firms through a technique called distillation. This accusation precedes a planned meeting between the two nations' leaders. China calls the method neutral and accuses the U.S. of using double standards.

The United States government has leveled accusations against Chinese AI companies, claiming they have copied American technological innovations through a technique known as distillation. This development could strain relations ahead of a meeting between leaders of the two largest global economies scheduled this month.

The U.S. claims six firms, including names like DeepSeek and Alibaba, employed distillation to train products using U.S.-developed AI models, with probable backing from the Chinese state. The intent was to mimic U.S. models from tech giants like Google and OpenAI, officials allege.

As Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping prepare for bilateral talks, anxieties mount over AI safety. In response, China's commerce ministry dismisses the allegations as baseless and retaliates with accusations of American double standards in tech development.