During a signing ceremony in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump formally acknowledged the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence by signing an executive order aimed at establishing tighter regulations on future AI developments. Accompanied by Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the President underscored his administration's intent to manage who can access cutting-edge AI technologies.

Traditionally, leading American tech firms, notably Anthropic and OpenAI, have had the discretion to determine which organizations could employ their most sophisticated AI models. Companies like Anthropic have strategically partnered with select entities to showcase their advanced cybersecurity offerings, such as the Mythos model associated with Project Glasswing. Meanwhile, OpenAI was prompted by the administration to restrict access to its latest GPT-5.6 model, utilizing a specialized group known as Daybreak for similar cybersecurity purposes.

A representative from the White House clarified to CNBC that the administration does not grant approvals for AI technologies released by private firms. The official emphasized that any collaborations or consultations with government experts are purely optional, stating that the timing and extent of AI model releases remain firmly within the purview of the companies themselves, echoed in Trump's recent executive directive.

In a further development, the administration recently halted the release of Anthropic's Claude Mythos 5 and Fable 5, citing "national security concerns." Access was restored after extensive discussions with Anthropic. In line with government requests, OpenAI announced its decision to restrict the rollout of new AI models to "trusted partners" only.

Sources report that the White House is controlling access to advanced AI models, transferring influence away from technology leaders.

A dark, stormy scene of the White House at dusk under heavy clouds, the US flag waving atop. From the portico, a giant presidential decree scroll unfurls across the front steps stamped “ACCESS RESTRICTED.” Behind it, a heavy, barred door labeled “Frontier AI Models” glows faintly, with the Google, Microsoft and Amazon logos clustered and dimmed behind the gate. Moody natural lighting highlights the tension and power shift.

The White House is dictating access to frontier AI models, shifting power from tech giants, sources say - CNBC

- The Trump administration is increasing control over future artificial intelligence model releases.
- AI companies like Anthropic and OpenAI previously determined access to their powerful models.
- Trump's executive order mandates tighter collaborations while emphasizing security without hindering innovation.

President Donald Trump points his finger as he signs an executive order on AI next to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, left, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, Dec. 11, 2025.

The Trump administration has taken new steps to assert more control over the rollout of future artificial intelligence model releases by dictating which companies and entities are allowed access to the latest frontier models, two people familiar with the matter told CNBC.

Until now, that decision was in the hands of American AI giants.

Both Anthropic and OpenAI have decided which companies and agencies have access to their most powerful models, and have often included major enterprise customers.

Anthropic unveiled its most capable Mythos cybersecurity model to a handful of partners with Project Glasswing. OpenAI was asked by the administration to gate its recent GPT-5.6 release, and has a similar consortium called Daybreak for its cybersecurity model.

A White House official told CNBC that it doesn't provide approvals for AI releases from private companies.

The official said any engagements, testing or meetings with government experts are "voluntary" and that "decisions on timing and scope of releases rest entirely with the companies," referring CNBC to Trump's recent executive order.

"The Administration continues to collaborate with all of America's frontier labs to strengthen the security of this technology without stifling innovation," they wrote.

However, last month the Trump administration blocked Claude Mythos 5 and Fable 5 due to "national security concerns," reinstating access after weeks of intense negotiations with Anthropic. OpenAI last month said it would limit new AI models to "trusted partners" to comply with government requests.

The White House is dictating access to frontier AI models, shifting power from tech giants, sources say

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When Xi Jinping, leader of China, arrives in Maryland on Wednesday, he will be greeted by a warm reception—possibly even a hug, according to the hopes of Donald Trump—marking a notable shift in US-China relations under the current leadership compared to recent administrations.

This meeting will be the second face-to-face encounter this year between the leaders of the world's two largest economies, coming after their initial discussions in May in Beijing. During that summit, both leaders expressed a desire to foster "strategic stability" between their countries; however, tangible results were lacking, with ongoing disputes over trade, export limitations, and geopolitical matters persisting.

Despite the friendly atmosphere from the earlier meeting, expectations are muted for meaningful advancements during Xi's first official visit to the US since 2015. Bonnie Glaser, managing director at the German Marshall Fund, stated, “Expectations are very low,” noting that the term “deliverables” is rarely being mentioned.

One potential area for agreement between Trump and Xi could be artificial intelligence safety. A number of prominent tech leaders, including Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai, Sam Altman, Tim Cook, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jensen Huang, are expected to be present at a state dinner at the White House on Thursday night.

Trump has recently voiced concerns about the rapid advancement of AI and emphasized the importance of the US maintaining its lead over China in this critical technology sector. “We’re leading China in AI,” he remarked. “Frankly, I want to keep it that way, because whoever wins AI, wins.”

This past Sunday, Scott Bessent, the US Treasury Secretary, met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and proposed establishing an AI safety framework to strengthen collaboration between Washington and Beijing. However, this proposal appears limited in scope, lacking a major safety agreement.

In a recent article, China's state-run People’s Daily advocated for a cooperative approach to AI, suggesting it as a promising avenue for US-China collaboration. António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, echoed these sentiments, urging both nations to create channels for dialogue akin to those seen during the Cold War era.

Nevertheless, China contests US claims regarding the existential threat posed by its AI advancements. The Chinese foreign ministry pushed back against an essay that advocated for US restrictions on Chinese AI development, asserting that “fearmongering, confrontation, and vicious competition” would only hinder global AI governance efforts.

Beijing has taken measures to regulate AI development, including requiring the labeling of AI-generated content and placing restrictions on children’s use of AI companions, in alignment with the Chinese Communist Party's goals of information control.

The trade issue remains ever-present, with a temporary truce in the trade war initiated last year during talks in South Korea set to expire in November. Beijing desires a long-term suspension of tariffs that threaten its export-reliant economy, but the US is reportedly hesitant to agree to terms that might undermine its negotiating power.

Glaser pointed out, “The US side views this as leverage over China and ensuring that they can get deliveries of the rare earths and magnets that American companies need.” Despite the ongoing trade tensions, China’s exports have flourished, heading toward a trade surplus of $1 trillion for the second consecutive year.

Another significant topic that has evolved since their last meeting is Taiwan. Following the May summit, Xi gained a key concession when Trump agreed to temporarily halt a significant package of arms sales to Taiwan—an issue traditionally excluded from US-China discussions. However, Trump has since labeled future arms sales as a “very good negotiating chip,” indicating a potential delay in such sales until after upcoming APEC and G20 summits.

In light of the ongoing geopolitical landscape, experts are cautioning against expectations for significant progress in this summit. Scott Kennedy from the Center for Strategic and International Studies remarked that the US-China relationship is not evolving into a cooperative “G2” dynamic, but rather a more complex engagement strategy.

China remains a leading player in oil trade with Iran, and while it has put pressure on Tehran to negotiate in light of US strikes, its overall influence in mediating the Middle East crisis has been limited. Similarly, China's unwavering support for Russia throughout the ongoing Ukraine conflict emphasizes its position as a stabilizing force in contrast to the US’s ongoing challenges in the region.

With the divergent approaches of both nations, the upcoming summit is expected to yield minimal concrete outcomes. Amanda Hsiao suggested that the talks will maintain a façade of cordiality but lack substantive ambition.

Democratic voices in Washington have expressed concerns over the domestic implications of Trump’s potentially conciliatory stance toward Xi, with Senator Tammy Duckworth highlighting the need for the president to address human rights issues in China seriously. This sentiment illustrates anxieties that Trump's diplomatic overtures may overshadow pressing concerns regarding Chinese coercive practices.

AI casts a shadow over Trump-Xi meeting as distrust between the US and China deepens.

Cinematic digital art, a dimly lit conference room with two empty ornate chairs facing each other across a polished mahogany table. On the left wall hangs a U.S. flag, on the right a Chinese flag. Floating above the table is a giant stylized neural-network brain glowing in ominous red and orange, casting deep shadows across scattered papers and microphones. Dramatic low-key natural light highlights the tension and distrust in the air.

AI looms large over Trump-Xi meeting amid deep distrust between US and China - theguardian.com

- Xi Jinping's visit marks his first state trip to the US since 2015.  
- Expectations for significant outcomes from the Trump-Xi meeting are notably low.  
- Trade negotiations are complicated by differing views on tariffs and AI safety.  

When Xi Jinping, China’s leader, touches down in Maryland on Wednesday, he will step out into the arms – perhaps a hug, if Donald Trump’s wishes come true – of a US president who has shown China more bonhomie than any of his recent predecessors.

The meeting between Xi and Trump this week will be the second time that the leaders of the world’s two biggest economies have talked face to face this year. At the previous summit, held in Beijing in May, there was much talk of building a “strategic stability” between the two powers. But there was little by way of concrete outcomes: the countries remain at loggerheads over trade, export controls and geopolitics.

Despite the goodwill built in May, few anticipate any major breakthroughs this week when Xi makes his first state visit to the US since 2015. “Expectations are very low,” said Bonnie Glaser, a managing director at the US thinkthank the German Marshall Fund. “Nobody is using the term ‘deliverables’.”

One area in which Trump and Xi may reach some consensus is on artificial intelligence safety. Tech executives including Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Sundar Pichai of Alphabet, Sam Altman of ⁠OpenAI, Tim Cook of Apple, Elon Musk ​of ​Tesla, Mark Zuckerberg of Meta and Jensen Huang ​of Nvidia will reportedly ​attend a ⁠state dinner at the White House on Thursday evening.

‘Whoever wins AI, wins’

In the past few weeks, the US has been beset by worries that AI is progressing too fast, but that the US must strive to defend its lead over China in the frontier technology – and Trump has pushed back hard against calls to slow its development. “We’re leading China in AI,” Trump said recently. “And frankly, I want to ⁠keep it that way, because whoever wins AI, wins.”

On Sunday, Scott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, concluded talks with the Chinese vice-premier He Lifeng by proposing an AI safety mechanism to be established between Washington and Beijing. The mechanism appears to stop short of a major safety agreement.

View image in fullscreen Scott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, and He Lifeng, Chinese vice-premier, during trade talks in Paris, France, on 16 March. Photograph: US treasury/Reuters

Tuesday’s front page of the People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese communist party (CCP), ran an article saying that the US and China should “make AI a new frontier for China-US cooperation” and “make good use of the intergovernmental dialogue mechanism on AI”.

António Guterres, the UN secretary general, called on the two countries to establish a dialogue on AI similar to the communication between the US and the Soviet Union during the cold war. “Governments with the greatest AI capabilities have the greatest responsibilities to humanity, to establish channels for dialogue, transparency, trust and cooperation,” Guterres said.

Still, China does not agree with US assessments about the grave threat posed by its AI developments. China’s foreign ministry responded to an essay by Dario Amodei, the Anthropic chief executive, that called for Washington to impede Beijing’s progress, by saying “fearmongering, confrontation and vicious competition will only disrupt the process of global AI governance”.

China has already taken steps to mandate the labelling of AI-generated content, to restrict the ability of children to use AI companions and, in keeping with the CCP’s desire to keep tight control on all information, to restrict what can be said by chatbots.

China may be more concerned with what it sees as US attempts to limit is growth. Washington has for years restricted China’s ability to buy the most advanced semiconductors needed for AI development, and this year the US banned the sale of Chinese humanoid robots.

Amanda Hsiao, China director at the Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy, said: “China doesn’t necessarily see the threat in the same way that the US does. There is a lot of distrust that’s in the way of cooperation. The Chinese are inclined to think of every US call for safety standards or calls from companies for pacing the frontier as means of suppressing Chinese development.”

Trade tensions persist

Next on the agenda will be trade. Washington and Beijing struck a temporary truce in the trade war last year at a summit in South Korea. That truce – which included a pause on tariffs, as well as an agreement for Beijing to loosen restrictions on the export of rare earths – will expire in November.

Beijing is hoping for a longer-term commitment to banish tariffs, which pose a threat to China’s export-driven economy. But reports suggest that the US is unwilling to agree to anything that would weaken its future bargaining power.

Glaser, of the German Marshall Fund, said: “The US side views this as leverage over China and ensuring that they can get deliveries of the rare earths and magnets that American companies need.”

China may not feel the need to negotiate, either. Despite the trade war, China’s exports have surged, and it is on track to reach a $1tn trade surplus for the second year running.

‘This is not a G2’

One aspect of the relationship that has shifted since May is the issue of Taiwan. After the Beijing summit, Xi secured a major concession from Trump, when he agreed to pause a $14bn package of US arms sales to Taiwan. US presidents have traditionally excluded the issue of arms sales to Taiwan, a self-governing island that China claims as part of its territory, from the US-China relationship.

But Trump has described future weapons sales as a “very good negotiating chip”. The US is now reportedly considering delaying further sales until after the Apec and G20 summits later this year, where Trump and Xi are expected to meet again.

Tuesday’s People’s Daily article said that a stable China-US relationship would “bring more peace, prosperity, and progress to the world”. But for all the talk in Beijing of “strategic stability”, Scott Kennedy, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, notes that “this is not a G2” alliance of the world’s two dominant powers.

View image in fullscreen Trump and Xi Jinping tour the Forbidden City in Beijing, China, on 8 November 2017. Photograph: Andrew Harnik/AP

“They are finding a way to manage the bilateral relationship, but they are not whatsoever working together as co-stewards of the international order,” Kennedy wrote in a recent commentary.

China is Iran’s biggest oil buyer and trading partner. After Trump launched strikes against Iran in February, China reportedly put pressure on Tehran behind the scenes to come to the negotiating table. It also slashed oil imports by nearly one-quarter in the first six months of the war, limiting global inflation.

Da Wei, a professor of international relations at Tsinghua University, wrote in a recent essay that this reflected “a more confident China” that “did not exploit the difficulties that the United States faced in the war with Iran”. But Beijing has otherwise done little to resolve the crisis in the Middle East, which it sees as being a mess of Trump’s making.

Last month, Bessent announced an “economic D-day” against Iran and its enablers. The US treasury secretary subsequently claimed to have had “very good private discussions” with Chinese officials over ending the country’s economic ties with Iran.

When it comes to Ukraine, Beijing has shown unwavering support for Moscow since Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, launched his full-scale invasion in 2022.

Ali Wyne, senior research and advocacy adviser on the US and China at the International Crisis Group, said: “The contrast between the world’s incumbent power and its principal challenger will be even sharper in Washington than it was in Beijing in May: while the former is mired once more in the Middle East and straining longstanding alliances, the latter is casting itself as a stabilizing counterweight and the leading champion of a more multipolar order.”

High vibes, low ambition

The lack of momentum on thorny geopolitical issues, combined with China’s emphasis on maintaining “strategic stability” above all else, means that few expect there to be major breakthroughs at this week’s summit.

Hsiao added: “It is going to be yet another summit that is high on positive vibes and relatively low ambition in terms of substance.”

Democrats in Washington have urged Trump to raise concerns over China’s treatment of political prisoners, but are already sounding the alarm that he could make too many concessions to Xi.

Senator Tammy Duckworth told an audience at the Center for American Progress thinktank on Tuesday: “He’s not very good at making deals with the PRC [People’s Republic of China] that they actually follow through on. If you look at the result of the last summit they had, they promised the purchase of 200 Boeing aircraft and $17bn in agricultural products. Neither one of those has come to pass.”

“At the same time, he violated our longstanding position on Taiwan by engaging in discussions on arms sales to Taiwan with President Xi,” Duckworth added. “I worry that it’s going to be a repeat of that and President Trump basically spends too much time sucking up to President Xi. He’s very distracted. When he focuses on the Indo-Pacific, it’s about him cosying up to an authoritarian regime at the expense of our friends and allies in the region.”

Additional research by Yu-chen Li

AI looms large over Trump-Xi meeting amid deep distrust between US and China

Consumers are beginning to embrace the potential of personal artificial intelligence, with many placing their confidence in Muse, Meta's latest AI assistant. The app has quickly climbed to the top of the Apple App Store rankings, surpassing the widely-used ChatGPT, reflecting a growing trend of individuals relying on AI to enhance their shopping experiences and save them both time and money, despite wider concerns about AI's implications.

Neil Saunders, the managing director and retail analyst at GlobalData Retail, highlighted the excitement surrounding Muse, which he believes signifies a shift towards more proactive shopping experiences. He anticipates that as consumers seek to simplify tedious tasks—like comparing prices across various platforms and locating products—they will increasingly turn to AI shopping assistants like Muse.

While Saunders hesitates to declare this as a definitive turning point, he acknowledges that it represents a significant phase in the evolving relationship between AI applications and consumers, as he shared with CBS News.

Research from IBM indicates that 41% of shoppers currently utilize AI assistants for product research, with 31% leveraging them to hunt for discounts. Since Muse's launch just two weeks ago, it has reportedly garnered over 2.5 million downloads, according to data shared by Sensor Tower. In comparison, OpenAI's ChatGPT app achieved 3.1 million downloads during the same timeframe, while Anthropopi’s Claude managed about 200,000 downloads.

Further emphasizing Muse's relevance, Amazon recently informed CBS News that it has prohibited the app from operating on its site due to concerns regarding security and user experience.

The landscape of online search is changing. For a long time, consumers used AI mainly as an advanced search engine. However, Meta is positioning Muse as a practical tool designed to assist users with various everyday tasks, aiming to enhance convenience in their lives.

John Mercer, head of global research at Coresight, noted that if Muse continues to gain traction, it may surpass Claude in popularity and become one of the leading AI tools among users. Unlike conventional chatbots, Muse's capabilities extend to executing tasks on users' behalf, such as booking travel, organizing email, and monitoring price changes. This not only means consumers can save time but also aids them in unearthing the best deals.

Mercer described this advancement as a "natural evolution from search" functionality. A recent survey by Coresight involving over 1,000 consumers found that 30% of participants expressed interest in using an AI tool to compare prices while holiday shopping, with the same percentage willing to use such tools to discover deals or promotional codes.

Saunders explained that agentic commerce aims to curate and display personalized selections for users, effectively minimizing the effort required to browse multiple websites for comparisons. 

While Muse is already causing a stir, Saunders cautions that a wider acceptance of AI shopping agents is likely to take some time. Reports of AI-related mishaps have raised concerns, making consumers hesitant to trust these agents with purchasing decisions.

"There's still a level of apprehension surrounding the idea of allowing AI agents to manage purchases on their behalf," he remarked.

Meta's Muse personal assistant gains popularity as AI-driven commerce begins to flourish.

Bright midday sun streams through a modern living room window onto a sleek tablet resting on a coffee table. On its screen, a friendly AI shopping assistant interface offers product suggestions. Nearby, neatly stacked delivery boxes hint at ongoing online orders. An adult’s hand reaches toward the tablet, as soft natural light highlights a large Meta logo embossed on the device. The scene conveys effortless AI-powered commerce taking off.

Meta's Muse personal agent is a hit, as AI commerce starts to take off - CBS News

- Meta's Muse AI agent leads the App Store, surpassing ChatGPT in popularity.  
- 41% of consumers use AI assistants for product research and deal searching.  
- Amazon has blocked Muse from its platform due to security and user experience concerns.  

Shoppers have seen the future, and many of them have decided it looks like Muse.

Meta's new personal artificial intelligence agent now sits atop Apple's App Store, ahead of No. 2 ChatGPT, as more consumers put their faith in AI to save them time and money — existential AI fears be damned.

Neil Saunders, managing director and retail analyst at GlobalData Retail, said the buzz around Muse underscores the "acceleration of agentic shopping." He expects more people to gravitate to AI shopping agents like Muse as they look to hand off cumbersome tasks, such as comparing deals across sites and tracking down products.

"I wouldn't say it's a tipping point, but it's certainly an important part of the journey for AI and consumers," Saunders told CBS News.

According to IBM, 41% of consumers use AI assistants to research products, and 31% use them to search for deals.

Since Meta unveiled Muse two weeks ago, the app has amassed more than 2.5 million downloads, according to Sensor Tower data shared with CBS News. By comparison, OpenAI's ChatGPT AI app had 3.1 million global downloads over the same time period, while Anthropopi's Claude tool had 200,000, the market research company found.

In another sign of Muse's growing relevance, Amazon confirmed to CBS News that it has blocked the AI app from shopping on its e-commerce platform, citing security and user experience concerns.

The evolution of search

Until recently, people have mostly used AI as a "glorified search engine," he added. By contrast, Meta is marketing Muse as a tool that will help consumers with everyday tasks and otherwise make their lives easier.

"If [Muse] maintains momentum, it could maybe leapfrog Claude among consumers and get into the top tier" of AI tools, said John Mercer, head of global research at Coresight.

Unlike traditional chatbots, Muse can take action on behalf of users, handling tasks like booking a flight, decluttering people's inboxes and tracking price drops. When it comes to shopping, the benefit for customers isn't just saving time; it's also about helping them find deals, Mercer said.

"It's a natural evolution from search," Mercer said.

In a recent Coresight survey of more than 1,000 consumers, 30% of respondents said they would use an AI tool to compare prices for holiday shopping. The same percentage said they would also use the tools to find deals or promo codes on holiday gifts.

"What agentic commerce does is basically summarizes, discovers, showcases what it thinks is interesting to each individual, and that does cut out some of the work so you don't have to go to multiple sites and cross-compare," Saunders said.

Although Muse is already making a splash, Saunders thinks broader consumer adoption of AI shopping agents will take time. Cases of agentic AI mishaps have already emerged, shaking people's trust in the tools.

"People are still a little bit nervous about allowing AI agents to do the purchasing on their behalf," he said.

Meta's Muse personal agent is a hit, as AI commerce starts to take off

As discussions intensify regarding the emerging realm of artificial intelligence and its implications, experts caution that China is cleverly eroding the United States' global dominance through strategic AI maneuvers, even as President Xi Jinping prepares for his visit to the U.S. this week. The paradigm shift involves a subtle, three-tiered strategy that encompasses extracting knowledge from advanced American AI systems, sabotaging U.S. developers with free open-source alternatives, and ultimately transforming these technologies into tools of cognitive warfare.

Analysts warn that China’s aggressive tactics involve circumventing immense investments made by U.S. research institutions. They exploit advanced American AI frameworks to replicate and enhance their capabilities, all while saturating the market with accessible alternatives. Leah Siskind, an AI research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, remarked, “I believe framing this as a ‘race’ is misleading. It resembles a multi-front conflict – we face victories in some arenas but setbacks in others.”

While major American tech companies have invested heavily in building proprietary, high-cost systems, China has taken a markedly different approach by spreading free, open-source AI models worldwide. Siskind cautioned that the financial advantage of utilizing cost-effective Chinese solutions leads some Fortune 500 companies to inadvertently open themselves up to risks such as censorship from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and potential backdoor vulnerabilities. “How can one compete with free software when American technology is prohibitively expensive?" she questioned. "Ensuring that a Chinese open-source model is genuinely free of CCP influence is virtually impossible, and that uncertainty is intentional.”

Gordon Chang, a China specialist, highlighted that Beijing is employing these free models as part of a broader economic strategy reminiscent of its earlier maneuvers within the solar panel industry. He believes China aims to undercut American models on cost and availability to ultimately achieve global supremacy in AI.

To successfully flood the market with these free solutions, China first requires access to advanced technologies and a way to overcome the significant lead the U.S. holds in computing infrastructure. Currently, the U.S. boasts over 5,400 data centers compared to around 450 in China and has far superior semiconductor technology. To overcome these challenges, Siskind stated that Chinese research facilities are utilizing a technique known as “knowledge distillation.” This involves smaller models extracting logic and capabilities from larger, more advanced American models, allowing them to make significant strides with minimal investment. 

The implications of this technological rivalry are very real. Recently, the Department of Homeland Security issued a cybersecurity advisory, noting that Chinese firms are running "industrial-scale knowledge distillation campaigns" aimed at harvesting proprietary capabilities from leading American AI systems. 

Furthermore, experts warn of China’s active integration of AI into critical infrastructure and public influence initiatives. Instead of focusing solely on fantastical notions of "killer robots," Siskind emphasized that China's immediate goal is the physical application of AI—integrating it into factory automation, drones, and autonomous logistics systems.

Chang voiced a concerning prospect about AI-fueled propaganda, which poses a significant threat to American democratic processes. “They excel in cognitive warfare and can amplify these capabilities through artificial intelligence. We cannot allow our electoral outcomes to be influenced by China," he warned.

As Xi Jinping’s imminent U.S. visit unfolds, experts advocate for a concerted response from the White House to address these non-military yet highly pertinent threats with the same urgency reserved for conventional military posturing. Siskind urged that to maintain the U.S.’s technological edge, policymakers should close existing loopholes in chip exports, blacklist foreign labs known for deceptive practices, and foster domestic open-source development that aligns with democratic ideals.

Chang underscored the broader implications of this technological struggle, asserting that Xi Jinping's ambitions echo an imperial mindset that could reshape global governance under Chinese hegemony if left unchecked. 

Meanwhile, during a recent address at the United Nations General Assembly, President Donald Trump reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to outpacing China. He announced a shift in terminology, declaring that U.S. government documents would now refer to AI as "superintelligence," emphasizing that the nation remains at the forefront and intends to sustain that lead.

Experts caution that China's actual AI threat to America is already present, surpassing concerns over killer robots.

A moody, dimly lit war room bathed in warm shadow: on one wall a large Chinese flag hangs half-folded, its red fabric catching the last of a single overhead lamp. On a heavy wooden table below, glowing red circuit-board traces snake over a map of the United States, converging on a small, shadowed model of the Capitol building—an unseen AI threat silently closing in.

Beyond killer robots: China's real AI threat to America is already here, experts warn - Fox News

- Experts warn China is undermining U.S. AI dominance through free, open-source software strategies.  
- Beijing's "knowledge distillation" allows copying American AI capabilities, impacting global competition.  
- The U.S. must enhance chip export controls and support domestic open-source AI development.  

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

While Americans brace for a futuristic AI war of killer robots and bioweapons, experts warn ahead of President Xi Jinping's U.S. visit this week that Beijing is already actively undermining America's global supremacy through AI without ever firing a shot.

Experts who spoke with Fox News Digital outlined a stealthy, three-part playbook, which includes extracting the logic of American models, undercutting U.S. developers with free open-source software and ultimately weaponizing those systems for things like cognitive warfare.

They laid out how China bypasses billions of dollars in U.S. research through labs that interrogate cutting-edge American AI and copy its capabilities, while simultaneously flooding the global market with free alternatives.

"I think a ‘race’ is the wrong metaphor for this," Leah Siskind, an AI research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital. "I think it's kind of like a multi-front war. And in some places, we're winning, and some places we're losing."

XI PREPARES CHINA ‘FOR BATTLE’ AS EXPERT WARNS OF GRAVE DANGER FACING US AHEAD OF DC SUMMIT

While top American tech firms have poured billions into building ultra-expensive, proprietary systems, China has focused heavily on distributing free, open-source models across the globe. Siskind warned that because American tech is costly and the U.S. sector has largely neglected open-source investment, many Fortune 500 companies are making the financial choice to run their operations on Chinese models, unwittingly opening the door to potential CCP censorship, hidden backdoors and, ultimately, global dominance.

"How can you compete with something that's free when American tech is very, very expensive?" Siskind said. "How can we ensure that a Chinese open-source model would be truly clean, that it'd be truly free of CCP censorship? We can't be — we just wouldn't know. And that's by design. We wouldn't know what sort of trick backdoors might be implanted and how that could rear its head later on."

China expert Gordon Chang warned that Beijing is intentionally using these free models to repeat an economic tactic it previously deployed to corner a different industry.

"This is a tactic that China used with solar panels," Chang told Fox News Digital. "Beijing sees that one day it will drive out the American models on cost and availability, and they will then dominate global AI."

CHAD WOLF: CONGRESS HAS A CHANCE TO STOP CHINA FROM TURNING YOUR CAR INTO A CHINESE SPY



But to flood the market with free software, Beijing first needs the underlying technology and a way to bypass America's massive lead in computing power.

Chang noted that the U.S. possesses a commanding lead in physical infrastructure, boasting over 5,400 data centers compared to China's roughly 450, along with far superior microchips. To work around the staggering hardware and energy costs required to train artificial intelligence from scratch, Siskind warned that Chinese labs are closing the gap through a process known as "knowledge distillation," a method where a smaller model essentially interrogates a larger, smarter American model to copy its logic.

"They are able to leapfrog the process by kind of stealing this information," Siskind said, pointing to the Chinese model DeepSeek as a prime example. "This is how they were able to release models like DeepSeek in 2025, which was seismic news because they were able to show that they were really competing with cutting-edge American models and had invested a fraction of the resources."

US ADVERSARY TURNS UP THE HEAT ON AMERICA’S AI LEAD WITH AN UNDERESTIMATED EDGE

The threat is not theoretical. Just last week, the Department of Homeland Security issued a joint cybersecurity advisory warning that Chinese companies are conducting "industrial-scale knowledge distillation campaigns" to extract proprietary capabilities from U.S. frontier models.

Beyond economic undercutting and software theft, the experts also warned Beijing is simultaneously deploying artificial intelligence into physical supply chains and public influence campaigns.

Rather than sci-fi "killer robots," Siskind emphasized that China's immediate physical priority is "embodied AI," embedding artificial intelligence into real-world infrastructure like factory automation, commercial drones and autonomous supply chains.

Chang warned that AI-enhanced propaganda poses a direct threat to American decision-making and democratic sovereignty.

"They're very good at cognitive warfare, and they can enhance their capabilities with artificial intelligence," Chang said. "We do not want our elections determined in China. We do not want our critical national security decisions being made in Beijing. And that's not impossible."

CHINA EXPERT WARNS BEIJING WANTS AMERICANS — NOT THE CCP — TO SPREAD ITS MESSAGE

As President Xi Jinping arrives in the U.S. this week, the experts who spoke to Fox News Digital said the White House must treat these non-cinematic threats with the same urgency as traditional military posturing.

To protect America's remaining edge, Siskind said Washington must tighten chip export loopholes, blacklist foreign labs engaging in deceptive distillation and incentivize U.S. open-source development, emphasizing that "it is very important that the most advanced systems are developed under democracy and represent democratic values, as opposed to authoritarian values."

CHINA-LINKED HACKERS INFILTRATED US GOVERNMENT NETWORKS BEFORE FBI TAKEDOWN

For Chang, the stakes of that technological defense extend far beyond standard economic competition.

"Xi Jinping throughout this century has been pushing the Chinese imperial-era notion of Tianxia, or 'all under heaven' that China's rulers have a right to rule the world," Chang warned. "That sounds ludicrous to us, but a Chinese regime powered by AI might actually be able to accomplish that. We certainly do not want our decisions being made in the Chinese capital."

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Addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, President Donald Trump reiterated Washington's goal of outpacing China, declaring that U.S. government documents will now refer to AI as "superintelligence."

"The United States totally rejects any attempt to construct a globalist scheme to control the artificial intelligence being spoken of," Trump told world leaders. "Whoever wins superintelligence wins. And we're leading now over China by a lot and everyone else. And we're going to keep it that way."

Beyond killer robots: China's real AI threat to America is already here, experts warn

Ulanqab, known for its expansive steppes and volcanic landscapes, is emerging as an unexpected hub for digital innovation. Once celebrated as China’s official "potato capital," the region is now witnessing a transformation as numerous data centers are being built across its farmland. This surge in digital infrastructure coincides with discussions between Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, who are focusing on AI safety, among other critical topics.

China's AI: Data centers emerge from the expansive landscapes of Inner Mongolia

A warm sunrise bathes the rolling grasslands of Inner Mongolia as a sleek cluster of low-profile data centers emerges from the plains. Solar panels shimmer around the metal-clad buildings, and a single Chinese flag waves proudly on a tall pole in the foreground. The scene is lit by soft natural light, blending cutting-edge technology with the vast, open landscape.

China AI: Data centres rise from the rolling plains of Inner Mongolia - BBC

- Ulanqab, known as China's "potato capital," is transforming into a digital hub.  
- The region is developing numerous data centers amidst growing AI safety discussions.  
- Ongoing talks between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping highlight the importance of AI regulation.  

Ulanqab, with its steppes and volcanoes, is an unlikely digital frontier. For years, it has been China's official "potato capital". But now its fields have also become construction sites for a slew of data centres, as Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping meet to discuss AI safety among other things.

China AI: Data centres rise from the rolling plains of Inner Mongolia

Laura Bicker from the BBC is reporting live from Inner Mongolia, where multiple data centers are rapidly being constructed as China seeks to become a frontrunner in artificial intelligence on a global scale.

Bicker highlights the contrasting perspectives that Chinese and American citizens hold regarding the data center sector, particularly in light of the upcoming meeting between leaders Xi Jinping and Donald Trump in Washington later this week. 

For deeper insights into this evolving story, click here.

Uncommon glimpse at the distant data centers driving China's AI goals

A dawn-lit plateau deep in western China, where sleek modular data-center buildings stretch across rocky terrain under soft golden sunlight. A single Chinese flag flutters atop the nearest unit as mist coils around low cooling towers. A lone technician in a hard hat and jacket walks along gravel paths toward the entrance, rugged mountains rising behind.

Rare look at the remote engine rooms powering China's AI ambitions - BBC

- China's construction of data centres aims to dominate the global artificial intelligence sector.  
- Attitudes towards data centres vary significantly between China and the United States.  
- The article coincides with an upcoming meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump.  

The BBC's Laura Bicker is in Inner Mongolia where dozens of Chinese data centres are being built, as the country aims to lead the world in artificial intelligence.

She explains how attitudes differ between people in China and the US when it comes to the data centre industry, ahead of leaders Xi Jinping and Donald Trump's meeting in Washington later this week.

Read more on this story here.

Rare look at the remote data centres powering China's AI ambitions

Donald Trump has a strong affinity for branding, and during a recent speech, he introduced a novel term for Artificial Intelligence: Super Intelligence. 

He stated, "The term artificial gives it a fake connotation. It's not fake; it's truly remarkable. However, we need to proceed with caution." He then welcomed the audience to "the new world of super intelligence – SI."

In past discussions, Trump has maintained that supremacy in AI translates to winning overall, demonstrating his opposition to regulatory measures. This stance, however, places him at odds with many experts and policymakers in the field.

A pressing concern remains: can the sluggish pace of diplomatic efforts match the swift advancements in AI technology?

Trump renames Artificial Intelligence as Super Intelligence

A bright outdoor campaign rally under natural sunlight: on a raised stage a giant marquee sign originally reading “Artificial Intelligence” is being spray-painted over—workers in high-visibility vests atop cherry-pickers transform “Artificial” into bold red “Super,” while a lone silhouetted figure with Trump’s signature comb-over stands at a podium, arm extended toward the new slogan. Behind him an American flag waves in the breeze.

Watch: Moment Trump rebrands Artificial Intelligence to Super Intelligence - BBC

- Trump rebrands Artificial Intelligence as "Super Intelligence" to emphasize its significance.  
- He argues against regulation, claiming it could hinder AI's advancement and competitiveness.  
- Concerns arise over diplomacy's ability to match the fast pace of AI development.  

Donald Trump has a penchant for branding and in his speech he gave Artificial Intelligence a new name: Super Intelligence.

"The use of the word artificial makes it sound fake," he said. "It's not fake, it's actually amazing. But we have to be careful," he added. "Welcome to the new world of super intelligence - SI," he went on to say.

Trump has previously argued that whoever wins AI, wins, and he is firmly against regulation. But that puts him at odds with many here.

The question is whether the slow pace of diplomacy can keep up with AI’s rapid development.

Trump rebrands Artificial Intelligence to Super Intelligence

During a speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, President Trump announced that all U.S. government documents will start referring to artificial intelligence as "super intelligence." 

He stated, "The United States completely rejects any efforts to establish a global framework aimed at controlling what is currently being referred to as artificial intelligence, which from now on will be called super intelligence." He emphasized the need for this terminology change, arguing that the term "artificial" undermines the genuine capabilities of the technology. "The use of the word artificial makes intelligence sound fake," Trump pointed out. "It is not fake; it’s extraordinary. However, we must approach it with caution. In fact, it’s the opposite of what the term suggests."

Going forward, Trump expressed his hope that not only U.S. documentation but also international usage of the term would transition to "super intelligence" for greater accuracy. "In other words, we are entering a new era of super intelligence — SI," he declared. "Let’s see how that resonates. It sounds far better, it truly is better, and it’s undoubtedly more precise."

Super intelligence is defined as a type of AI that surpasses human intelligence, representing both a goal for numerous advanced AI companies and a significant concern among those warning about its potential risks to humanity. 

Trump's comments come against a backdrop of rising anxiety about AI advancements, particularly after a former researcher from Anthropic raised alarms about the technology's potential to threaten human existence. This has spurred ongoing discussions in Washington regarding the need for regulation, with Trump advocating for fewer restrictions in order to ensure that the U.S. maintains a competitive edge over China in the evolving AI landscape.

AI is expected to be a prominent topic not only at the UN General Assembly this week but also during the upcoming state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington for discussions with Trump.

Trump claims AI will be referred to as 'super intelligence' in all official US documents.

Donald Trump at a wooden White House press-room podium bathed in warm morning light, a single US flag standing beside him. He holds a bold red stamp reading “SUPER INTELLIGENCE” and slams it onto a stack of official papers titled “Artificial Intelligence,” with papers fluttering in mid-air around him.

Trump says AI will be renamed ‘super intelligence’ in all US documents - thehill.com

- President Trump announced a name change from artificial intelligence to "super intelligence" in documents.  
- He rejected global control schemes for AI, emphasizing the need for careful management.  
- The topic of AI will dominate discussions at the UN General Assembly and Trump's upcoming meeting.  

President Trump told the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday that artificial intelligence will be renamed “super intelligence” in all U.S. documents.

“The United States also totally rejects any attempt to construct a globality scheme to control for the artificial intelligence being spoken of so much now, hereinafter called super intelligence. Changing the name,” Trump told the global body.

“The use of the word artificial makes intelligence sound fake,” he continued. “It is not fake. It’s actually amazing. But we have to be careful. In fact, it is exactly the opposite of what it purports.”

“From this point forward, all of United States documents and hopefully the world’s will be changed to use the much more accurate term super as opposed to artificial,” he continued.

“In other words, welcome to the new world of super intelligence — SI,” he said. “Let’s see if that goes. It sounds much better. It is much better, and it’s much more accurate.”

Super intelligence is already defined as a form of artificial intelligence that exceeds human intelligence. It is both the ultimate goal of many frontier AI firms and the greatest worry among those warning about its threat to humanity.

Trump’s remarks came amid spiking fears about the technology after a former Anthropic researcher warned that AI could soon destroy humanity.

The concerns fueled the debate in Washington over whether to regulate the technology, with Trump pushing for less regulation to ensure the U.S. beats China in the AI arms race.

AI is slated to be a major topic of conversation this week, not only at the United Nations General Assembly but also when Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Washington for a state visit with Trump.

Trump says AI will be renamed ‘super intelligence’ in all US documents

The Federal Aviation Administration is currently piloting an innovative AI technology in Washington D.C. aimed at minimizing flight delays. This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance air traffic management and improve overall efficiency in air travel. By leveraging artificial intelligence, the FAA hopes to optimize scheduling and streamline operations, ultimately benefiting both airlines and passengers.

FAA evaluates innovative AI technology in Washington D.C. to minimize flight delays.

Natural morning light bathes Reagan National Airport’s control tower emblazoned with “FAA” and a waving U.S. flag; in the foreground, an air traffic controller touches a sleek glass flight-status dashboard showing green “On Time” indicators powered by AI, while a commercial jet taxis on the runway and the Capitol dome rises softly on the horizon.

FAA tests new AI system in Washington D.C. to reduce flight delays - CBS News

- FAA initiates testing of new AI system to minimize flight delays.  
- The trial is taking place specifically in Washington D.C. airports.  
- Aim is to improve efficiency and streamline air traffic management.  

FAA tests new AI system in Washington D.C. to reduce flight delays The FAA is testing a new AI system in Washington D.C. to reduce flight delays.

FAA tests new AI system in Washington D.C. to reduce flight delays

In a recent conversation, Sara Sprong, a 40-year-old lead research advisor and mother of three from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, shared her innovative approach to parenting using AI tools. This dialogue has been condensed for clarity and brevity.

Sara is brimming with ideas for family traditions and enriching activities, but like many working parents, she struggles to find the necessary time and mental energy to implement them fully. As the mother of a 9-year-old, an 8-year-old, and a 4-year-old, she balances a demanding job in customer success at a UX research technology firm with the various demands of family life.

While she utilizes ChatGPT for practical tasks like meal planning and scheduling—similar to many parents—her primary focus is on utilizing it as a creative brainstorming partner. By engaging in a collaborative dialogue with the AI, she refines ideas that resonate with her family's dynamics, ensuring they reflect her children’s unique personalities.

This approach has enabled her to create specialized resources such as custom vacation activity books, scavenger hunts, and chore challenges that genuinely engage and motivate her kids, making everyday parenting more enjoyable and meaningful. For Sara, the most significant benefit of AI is its ability to free up time, allowing her to focus on creating lasting memories rather than spending countless hours on planning.

For instance, during a family trip to Rhinelander, Wisconsin, she developed a 21-page activity book tailored to their vacation, complete with Mad Libs and a scavenger hunt. By providing ChatGPT with specific prompts regarding their location, she was able to format everything efficiently for printing. 

She has also noticed a substantial improvement in the quality of outputs from ChatGPT, particularly after mid-June of this year, as it has become more reliable and precise, reducing the need for excessive editing. This enhancement has allowed Sara to engage in activities that reduce screen time, reviving a nostalgic '90s vibe for her children.

One of her most successful applications of AI has been in transforming household chores into fun, gamified experiences. Instead of the usual frustrating requests to clean their rooms, she created a chore chart featuring colorful levels like "Trash Tornado" and "Laundry Lightning." This not only clarifies tasks for her kids but also makes chore time enjoyable, as they can tick off completed tasks in a dry-erase folder and even enjoy treats for finishing.

To ensure quality one-on-one time with each child, Sara employed ChatGPT to design a family date tracker. This handy tool helps plan seasonal outings with each child, ensuring both she and her husband engage in meaningful activities together with their kids. By inputting their interests and local events, she receives tailored suggestions, ranging from ice cream outings to pottery classes.

For Sara, the core value of using AI isn’t merely having assistance in planning activities; it’s about converting her desire for intentional parenting into a structured, actionable plan that accommodates their busy lives. Rather than getting lost in endless logistics, ChatGPT helps her streamline the process, allowing her to focus on creating beautiful memories, all while being fully present with her children.

As a mother of three, I utilize AI to create printable chore charts and activity books for my children, helping them spend less time on screens.

A bright, sunlit kitchen scene with a smiling mom seated at a wooden table strewn with colorful, freshly printed chore charts and activity-book pages. Her laptop beside her displays a simple “AI” label on screen. Three small, empty chairs pull up to the table, hinting at her kids’ imminent return. Scattered colored pencils and markers add warmth, while natural morning light floods through a nearby window.

As a mom of 3, I use AI to make printable chore charts and activity books for my kids. They spend less time on screens. - Business Insider

- Sara Sprong uses ChatGPT to enhance creativity and simplify parenting logistics.  
- AI helps her create personalized activity books, chore charts, and family date planners.  
- Gamifying chores has reduced resistance and made family tasks more engaging for her kids.  

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sara Sprong, 40, a lead research advisor and mom of three living in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

I've always had lots of ideas for family traditions, learning activities, and memorable experiences. The challenge is finding the time and mental bandwidth to bring those ideas to life.

As a mom of three kids — ages 9, 8, and 4 — I'm juggling a full-time career in customer success at a UX research technology company and all the extracurriculars and logistics that come with family life.

While I use ChatGPT the same way some parents do, for meal-planning and organizing schedules, I primarily use it to amplify the creativity of my parenting.

Sprong prints out her ChatGPT creations into booklets and game boards Sara Sprong

Rather than using ChatGPT for one-time answers, I treat it like a collaborative brainstorming partner. We go back and forth refining ideas until they feel personal to my family and fit each of my kids' personalities.

It's helped me create custom vacation activity books, scavenger hunts, chore challenges that actually motivate my kids, and personalized resources that make everyday parenting more engaging and intentional.

What I value most about AI isn't just the time it saves me; it's that it helps me spend more of my time creating memories instead of hours planning them. It enhances my parenting, but it doesn't replace my role in my child's life.

Recreating a '90s childhood

Sprong made a 21-page activity book customized around her family's vacation location. Sara Sprong/ChatGPT

I've played around with Canva, but the amount of time that I spend on just formatting is mind-boggling.

Related video How AI takes a toll on the freelancers who train, test, and refine it

One thing I made with ChatGPT that I'm really proud of is a vacation activity book for my kids and their cousins when we went up north to Rhinelander, Wisconsin. It helped me create Mad Libs that were related to the activities that we were doing, and a scavenger hunt around the resort. I gave ChatGPT prompts and information about where we were staying and had it format everything in 8" by 11" paper so that I could print it out.

ChatGPT has also come a long way in terms of the quality of its output. I started experimenting with it for image generation around late 2025. At that point, I could see the potential, but there was still a lot of back-and-forth to get something I would actually print and use. There might still be a random word or strange element somewhere that I couldn't get rid of.

I noticed a pretty dramatic shift around mid-June of this year. The initial output had become much more reliable. The random text or "AI slop" that used to sneak into the edges of a visual have, in my experience, pretty much disappeared.

Now that ChatGPT has stepped up its game, it's helped us reduce screen time at home and bring back a more '90s summer for our kids.

Gamifying chores

Sprong makes colorful chore charts that the kids can gradually tick off with dry-erase markers. Sara Sprong

AI also helped me gamify the kids' chores into a printable chore chart. I'll print it out and put it in a dry-erase folder where they can tick off each task they complete.

The "Bedroom Boss Battle" is probably my favorite example. Instead of saying "go clean your room," which usually leads to me repeating myself and ends in frustration for all involved, we turned it into levels like "Trash Tornado," "Laundry Lightning," and "Bedroom Magic." Each one gives them a specific thing to tackle and a short amount of time to do it to level up to the next task, ending with a sweet treat.

It changes the tone of the interaction. I'm not standing there nagging them through one huge task. They know exactly what the next small thing is, they can check it off, and there's some fun and momentum built into it. They take turns setting the timer.

AI hasn't magically made my kids love cleaning their rooms, but breaking it into smaller, gamified challenges makes it much easier to get started and has cut down on some of the resistance.

It helps me plan out quality time with each kid

Sprong uses ChatGPT to create a family date tracker and also brainstorm the activities each parent does with each kid. Sara Sprong/ChatGPT

I wanted a way to make sure my husband and I were each getting intentional, one-on-one time with each of our kids throughout the year. ChatGPT helped me create a printable tracker organized by child, parent, and season, so the goal is for each of us to have an individual date with each child every season.

For example, I'll send in different things that my child likes, their age, local events, and the season. I might say: "In Douglas County, Colorado, what could I do with my child around horses this weekend?"

We've brainstormed things like getting ice cream or hot chocolate, going to a bookstore, mini golf, breakfast together, a hike, pottery, or letting the child choose an adventure.

For me, the value isn't that I need AI to tell me to take my kid for ice cream. It's helping me take this idea of wanting to be more intentional and turn it into something tangible that keeps us accountable to actually doing it — especially across three kids and busy schedules.

Instead of trying to spend all the time trying to think through logistics or searching the gazillion Google reviews, ChatGPT helps me narrow down all the endless choices and just makes things easier for my brain to grasp.

I'm able to create those memories for my family and be present for them the whole time.

Sources report that the White House is controlling access to advanced AI models, transferring influence away from technology leaders.

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