Trump crypto firm backs venture offering AI from restricted Chinese companies

Donald Trump's World Liberty Financial has teamed up with a Hong Kong-based venture called WorldClaw. WorldClaw offers users access to AI models developed by Chinese companies, some of which are flagged by the U.S. administration for posing national security risks. World Liberty earns money through its crypto tokens, which WorldClaw accepts as payment.

Out of the 90 models available on WorldClaw's platform, about half are reportedly developed by Chinese technology giants like Alibaba, Baidu, and Z.ai, according to a Reuters review. While there's no law against this collaboration, seven experts argue it goes against the administration's efforts to regulate Chinese AI. The Trump family's involvement and potential profits from crypto payments on the platform are seen as hypocritical.

The administration is grappling with the rapid growth of Chinese AI models and the potential AI arms race with China. However, some argue that the Trump administration has been less aggressive in targeting Chinese companies and opts for a business-first approach.