Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei recently proposed a global slowdown in the development of advanced AI models to improve safety. His plan includes restricting sales of high-end AI chips and manufacturing equipment to China, alongside tighter controls on data center access.
Chinese officials and state media rejected the proposal, characterizing it as an attempt to maintain U.S. technological dominance. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun labeled the call as fear-mongering, while state-backed media described it as a Cold War tactic.
Chinese State Security Minister Chen Yixin warned that advanced U.S. models could threaten critical infrastructure. He advocated for increased technological self-reliance and government oversight, noting that AI is now a critical factor in modern warfare and battlefield decision-making.
Engineers at Chinese firms like MiniMax and DeepSeek expressed skepticism toward the proposal. They argued that U.S. companies are attempting to unilaterally define the rules of the industry, potentially cementing global inequality by controlling the most powerful AI systems.
Huawei rotating chairman Eric Xu suggested that Chinese developers should accelerate their progress rather than slow down. He noted that Chinese firms may need to reach the technical level of U.S. labs before they can fully perceive the same risks associated with frontier AI.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg have also rejected the idea of slowing down AI development. Meanwhile, a meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled for September 24 in Washington to discuss shared AI risks.
