By Alexandra Alper
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The House Foreign Affairs Committee voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday in favor of a bill that would make it easier for the Biden administration to restrict exports of artificial intelligence systems, citing concerns that China could exploit this to strengthen its military capabilities.
The bill, sponsored by Republicans Michael McCaul and John Molenaar and Democrats Raja Krishnamoorthi and Susan Wild, would also give the Commerce Department explicit authority to ban Americans from working with foreigners to develop AI systems that pose risks to American national security.
Without this legislation, “our top AI companies could inadvertently fuel China’s technological rise and strengthen their military and malign ambitions,” Committee Chairman McCaul warned Wednesday.
“As the (Chinese Communist Party) looks to expand their technological advancements to enhance their surveillance state and war machine, it is critical that we protect our sensitive technology from falling into their hands,” McCaul added.
The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The bill is the latest sign that Washington is preparing to push back on China’s AI ambitions amid fears that Beijing could use the technology to meddle in other countries’ elections, create bioweapons or launch cyberattacks.
A bipartisan group of senators, including Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, last week called on Congress to approve $32 billion in funding for artificial intelligence research to keep the U.S. ahead of China in the powerful technology.
Reuters reported this month that President Joe Biden’s administration is about to open a new front in its efforts to protect American AI from China and Russia, with tentative plans to place guardrails around the most advanced AI models.
US officials expressed concern about China’s “misuse” of artificial intelligence during their first formal bilateral talks on the issue in Geneva last week.
The bill, which passed with 43 votes in favor and only 3 against, would need approval from the full House and Senate before it could be signed into law by Biden.
There is currently no companion bill in the Senate, and neither Schumer’s office nor the White House immediately responded to requests for comment on whether they support the legislation. However, efforts to thwart China have become rare examples of bipartisan consensus in recent years.
(Reporting by Alexandra AlperEditing by Bill Berkrot)
