Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.) have issued letters to nine major artificial intelligence firms, including Amazon, Google, and OpenAI, demanding transparency on their safeguards against Chinese espionage. The senators are particularly focused on insider threats, questioning whether employees with ties to China could compromise U.S. AI technology.
Focus on Insider Risk
The letters, sent to CEOs on May 13, include nine detailed questions on personnel vetting, insider threat detection, and ongoing monitoring of privileged access roles. One question addressed to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy asks, \"How many PRC nationals does Amazon employ? How many have direct or indirect privileged access to weights or weight-adjacent assets, and how has that number changed over time?\"
\"The Chinese Communist Party has an extensive track record of conducting espionage on U.S. companies in critical sectors,\" the senators wrote.
Collaborative Approach Sought
While demanding answers, the senators also expressed a willingness to work with companies to identify and address vulnerabilities. They asked, \"What support or engagement from Congress or the U.S. government would be useful in securing AI technology, trade secrets, and research from the PRC?\"
This inquiry comes amid bipartisan concerns over China\'s \"industrial-scale\" efforts to extract American AI capabilities. Congress has intensified its oversight, including classified briefings with leading AI firms, as U.S. officials warn of the growing technological competition.
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