US government website used AI search tool from China that FBI said copied Anthropic
The US government website used Alibaba’s Qwen model to search public regulatory comments before it disappeared Wednesday.
The Federal Register, a US government website operated by the National Archives, recently utilized an AI search tool developed by Alibaba, a Chinese company. The tool, powered by Alibaba's Qwen model, allowed users to search proposed federal regulations. However, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) accused Alibaba of maliciously copying technology from US rival Anthropic to create its own AI tools.
This development comes amid increased tensions between Washington and Beijing, and a US debate over potential regulatory safeguards on AI. The Federal Register website took down the Qwen search tool around the time social media posts about it began circulating. The FBI declined to comment on the matter, and the National Archives and the White House did not provide any response.
The Chinese embassy in Washington dismissed the allegations of copying as "unfounded." Despite concerns over potential cybersecurity risks, AI experts argue that the use of Qwen may not pose significant national security threats, as open-weight models like Qwen can run on a company's own IT infrastructure, providing greater control over sensitive data.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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