China's People's Daily accuses US of double standards on AI distillation
- People's Daily accused the US of applying "naked double standards" to AI model distillation, treating it as an industry norm for American firms but an attack when used by Chinese companies.
- The commentary called for the US and China to cooperate on AI risk management and build an open, inclusive environment for AI development.
- China argued the US has elevated an industry practice to a national-security issue to maintain AI dominance.
- Nvidia Corp. CEO Jensen Huang is reportedly expected to join Trump at a state dinner honoring Xi Jinping next week, as bilateral AI safety talks are being prepared.
- The US has previously accused China of large-scale intellectual property theft from American AI companies, which Beijing has rejected.
*this image is generated using AI for illustrative purposes only.
China's People's Daily accused the United States of applying "naked double standards" to AI model distillation, arguing that Washington treats the same technique as routine practice for American firms but frames it as an attack when used by Chinese companies.
China calls for open AI development
The People's Daily, the official newspaper of China's ruling Communist Party, stated that artificial intelligence is a new domain for human development and should not be controlled by a handful of powerful countries. The commentary argued that AI must not become an arena for zero-sum competition among major powers. It called on the US and China to cooperate in managing AI risks and to foster an open, inclusive, and universal environment for the technology's development.
Beijing's charge of double standards
The commentary specifically targeted Washington's concerns over AI model distillation, a technique in which developers use outputs from larger models to train smaller systems and reduce development costs. China argued that US companies also use the technique extensively.
"According to US logic, when American enterprises use distillation it is an 'industry standard practice,' while when Chinese enterprises apply it, it constitutes an 'attack,'" the paper said. "This is naked double standards."
The commentary further accused the US of elevating an industry practice to a national-security issue in order to maintain dominance in AI. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
US-China AI tensions and upcoming talks
The remarks come as Washington and Beijing prepare for bilateral discussions covering AI safety and related technology issues. Nvidia Corp. CEO Jensen Huang is reportedly expected to join President Donald Trump at a state dinner honoring Chinese President Xi Jinping next week. Trump made his first state visit to China since 2017 in May.
The US has previously accused China of large-scale intellectual property theft from American AI companies, allegations Beijing has rejected.
| Key positions | Details |
|---|---|
| China's stance | AI must not become a monopoly of great powers or arena for zero-sum competition |
| China's accusation | US applies double standards to AI model distillation |
| US concern | AI model distillation framed as a national-security issue |
| Upcoming event | State dinner with Xi Jinping; Jensen Huang reportedly expected to attend |
| Bilateral agenda | AI safety and related technology discussions |
How might the upcoming bilateral AI safety talks address the specific dispute over model distillation techniques?
What impact could Jensen Huang's attendance at the state dinner have on Nvidia's export restrictions to China?
Will the US adjust its national security framework for AI if China successfully demonstrates that distillation is a standard industry practice?
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