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Alibaba AI model used by U.S. government website
The Federal Register, a website managed by the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, recently utilized Alibaba’s Qwen AI model to power a search tool for public comments on federal regulations. The tool was removed from the site following discussions on social media.
The use of the Chinese-developed model comes shortly after the FBI accused Alibaba and other Chinese AI firms of maliciously copying technology from the U.S.-based company Anthropic. While cybersecurity experts noted that the risk might be limited because the tool processed public information and Qwen is an open-weight model, U.S. lawmakers have expressed concern. Representative John Moolenaar, chair of the House Select Committee on the CCP, stated that no federal entity should use Chinese AI models.
The incident has also drawn attention to Alibaba’s potential status on the U.S. list of Chinese military companies, which could impact its operations and partnerships in the United States.
Entities
Alibaba · Anthropic · FBI · Federal Register · United States
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The FBI accused Alibaba of maliciously copying technology from the US AI company Anthropic. bccnews.com.tw · rr.pt · cryptobriefing.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The AI search tool was removed from the Federal Register website following social media discussion. bccnews.com.tw · rr.pt
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Representative John Moolenaar stated that no federal government entity should use a Chinese AI model. rr.pt
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Federal Register website used Alibaba’s Qwen AI model to search public comments on federal regulation proposals. bccnews.com.tw · rr.pt · cryptobriefing.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Chinese Embassy in Washington described the FBI's allegations against Alibaba as unfounded. bccnews.com.tw · rr.pt