FBI Director Christopher Wray said Thursday that he was deeply concerned about the Chinese governments artificial intelligence program, asserting that it was not constrained by the rule of law.
Speaking during a panel session at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Wray said Beijings AI ambitions were built on top of massive troves of intellectual property and sensitive data that theyve stolen over the years.
He said that left unchecked, China could use artificial intelligence advancements to further its hacking operations, intellectual property theft and repression of dissidents inside the country and beyond.
Thats something were deeply concerned about, and I think everyone here should be deeply concerned about, he said.
More broadly, he said, AI is a classic example of a technology where I have the same reaction every time. I think, Wow, We can do that? And then I think, Oh god, they can do that.
Such concerns have long been voiced by U.S. officials. In October 2021, for instance, U.S. counterintelligence officials issued warnings about Chinas ambitions in AI as part of a renewed effort to inform business executives, academics and local and state government officials about the risks of accepting Chinese investment or expertise in key industries.
Earlier that year, an AI commission led by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt urged the U.S. to boost its AI skills to counter China, including by pursuing AI-enabled weapons.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment Thursday about Wrays comments. Beijing has repeatedly accused Washington of fearmongering and attacked U.S. intelligence for its assessments of China.
Learn how to navigate and strengthen trust in your business with The Trust Factor, a weekly newsletter examining what leaders need to succeed. Sign up here.
