Chinese military researchers tap U.S. AI models to train defence systems
As Chinese AI models close the gap with their U.S. counterparts, military researchers are also examining distillation as a potential security risk
Chinese military researchers have employed outputs from leading U.S. AI models, including those developed by OpenAI and Anthropic, to train their own domestic AI systems, according to a Reuters analysis of over 80 academic papers and patents. This development highlights how Chinese military and security-linked entities are leveraging cutting-edge U.S. AI models to advance their defense capabilities, despite Washington's efforts to limit Beijing's access to advanced chips and strategic technologies.
The technique employed, known as "model distillation," involves using powerful AI systems to train smaller, specialized models that can be deployed locally without the massive computing power required to build advanced AI from scratch. The review, which included research compiled by the Jamestown Foundation, revealed widespread use of distillation by researchers tied to the People's Liberation Army and other military institutions.
Chinese defense institutions view leading U.S. AI models as a source of technical insight and a means to narrow the gap with American rivals. However, the dispute centers on unauthorized extraction rather than distillation itself, with accusations and counterclaims emerging ahead of U.S.-China talks on AI governance.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu - Sci-Tech's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
