Washington, July 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A senior Republican lawmaker has called on the Trump administration to strengthen its strategy for countering China’s expanding influence in artificial intelligence, warning that the growing adoption of Chinese AI models by American companies could pose national security risks.
In a letter addressed to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas urged the administration to tighten export controls, broaden restrictions on the use of Chinese AI models by government contractors, and accelerate efforts to build a globally competitive American AI ecosystem.
Cotton argued that while the United States continues to lead in developing advanced AI models, China has made rapid progress in expanding the global reach of its AI technologies. He said Washington must not only maintain its technological edge but also ensure that American AI platforms become the preferred global standard.
Expressing concern over the increasing reliance on Chinese AI systems, Cotton claimed that several American firms are integrating Chinese models into commercial products. He also cited reports suggesting widespread adoption of Chinese AI by startups and referred to products powered by Chinese models as examples of the trend.
The senator warned that open-weight Chinese AI models could potentially contain security vulnerabilities or hidden backdoors, arguing that such risks could affect organisations working with the US government. He recommended extending existing restrictions beyond DeepSeek to cover additional Chinese AI models and introducing a government-wide ban on their use by federal contractors.
Cotton also advocated maintaining strict export controls on advanced chips and semiconductor manufacturing equipment to limit China’s technological advancement while simultaneously encouraging the development of open American AI alternatives capable of competing in domestic and international markets.
According to the senator, offering a broad range of reliable US-developed AI models—from cutting-edge systems for defence and critical infrastructure to affordable commercial solutions—would help strengthen America’s technological leadership and reduce dependence on foreign AI platforms.
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