China weighs limiting foreign access to advanced AI models

Chinese authorities have held discussions with leading technology companies over the past month about potentially restricting foreign access to the country's most advanced artificial intelligence models, including those not yet publicly released. The talks, led by the Ministry of Commerce, included representatives from tech giants Alibaba and ByteDance, as well as startup Z.ai.

According to people familiar with the discussions, officials considered measures to limit overseas use of top-tier AI systems, both proprietary and open-weight versions. One proposal involved classifying the unauthorized leak or theft of proprietary AI technology as a violation of China's national security law. Participants also debated potential new rules to restrict which investors can fund domestic AI startups.

The scope and timing of any potential restrictions remain undecided, and it is unclear if they will be implemented. The discussions are part of a broader pattern of actions by Beijing to treat cutting-edge AI as a strategic national asset. Earlier this year, China's state planning agency ordered Meta to unwind its $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus. In early June, authorities issued new...