Senior FBI officials issued a warning on Friday, stating that China is actively stealing US-developed artificial intelligence (AI) technology to bolster its own ambitions and conduct foreign influence operations.
The FBI highlighted that China and other US adversaries are targeting American businesses, universities, and government research facilities to gain access to cutting-edge AI research and products.
During a background briefing call with reporters, a senior FBI official emphasized the significant threat posed by nation-state adversaries, particularly China, to American companies and national security.
China’s goal is to surpass the US as the world’s top AI power by 2030, but US officials assert that much of its progress is built on stolen or unlawfully acquired US technology.
The FBI revealed that the efforts to obtain US technology span multiple industries and avenues, as China aims to replicate, develop, and advance its own AI programs.
The briefing aimed to shed light on the threat landscape and was not in response to any recent events, officials clarified.
